


"The lap of the Gods"

by TheAmphioxus



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bestiality, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:20:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23075389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAmphioxus/pseuds/TheAmphioxus
Summary: What does the future hold for Wonder Woman and the Super-dog, and how does it relate to the larger universe around them?This is a sequel to the "Of Royalty and Beasts" story; if you have not read it skip this one, as it will make no sense otherwise.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Krypto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. "Present"

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-TheAmphioxus.

About this Story:  
This is a sequel to the "Of Royalty and Beasts" story. Please, read that one beforehand, prior to starting this one.

WONDER WOMAN - “THE LAP OF THE GODS”

PART 1 - “PRESENT”

01 - “WONTED”

***The Wonderdome***

Upon opening her eyes, Princess Diana remained still for a few moments, uncertain of whether she found herself yet in the realm of dreams or not. Strangely, Krypto continued to sleep beside her, when in mornings such as this, she was all but certain to be greeted with his tongue, energetically scraping over her cheeks and lips, at the first sign of waking. "Come to think of it, we did go on for longer than usual last night." She recalled, feeling peculiarly proud to having been capable of lasting for another hour or so; to have been able to push the Super-dog that much further. "He still had me at the end though." she blushed, smiling, looking at the dormant super-powered canine. "But it does seem like the added exertion took a toll."

Trying her best to be quiet, the Amazon slid out of bed, tiptoeing towards the bathroom half-heartedly, while she considered what waking her beastly companion would more than likely lead towards. She both hated and loved how the dog could read her like an opened book; how he was able to tell, from the faintest hints, when her demeanor was indicative of a lack of urgency. As such, any carefree morning was doomed to mirror the night preceding it, just as soon as the Krypto could tell Wonder Woman might as well be his during the forenoon; something which typically happened midway through an attempt to bathe, or prepare breakfast.

Washing her face, Diana grinned biting her lower lip, shifting her gaze between the mirror and the occupied bed. "Perhaps I'll manage to have a full meal beforehand this time, for a change." She thought, turning to look at the bathtub. "Best leave the bath for later though. Else I'll just end up having to bathe twice." She shook her head. "In the end, either Krypto jumps me, or I jump him. Either that, or we tease each other and see who breaks first." She mumbled, amused at the thought of how ultimately she agreed with the dog, about the way to best spend their private time together. However much Krypto would always try to get his way, and he was as exceptionally good at getting his way, she was that much inept at resisting, or more truthfully, pretending to resist him.

With thoughts already concerned with what to prepare for their morning meal, Diana meant to sneak towards the Dome's kitchens, when a sudden, stabbing pain in her abdomen made her halt and place one hand over her belly, and another against a wall for support. "Ow! Perhaps I did go overboard yesterday. Seems like he did quite a number on me." She considered, looking back up at the mirror, pushing her hair back, noticing how puffed and stark pink her nipples looked in the reflection. "Gods have mercy! Even my breasts are sore still. Perhaps I should have stayed an extra hour in bed; Allow my body to recover fully." While she leaned waiting for the pain to subside, a flash of red by her feet caught her eye. She bent down, grabbing the cloth which often adorned the Super-dog's neck. "I should get this washed." She thought, observing the many spots of dried coital fluids coating the fabric, giving it a near leathery texture. "You're lucky I'm not as impatient with your attire as you are with mine." She whispered, looking at Krypto, acknowledging the shreds of her own apparel spread all across the bedroom floor. "Then again, yours doesn't usually get in the way." She brought the red overgarment to eye level. As if by instinct, Wonder Woman pressed the soiled fabric to her face, taking a deep breath through her nose. The Super-dog's natural scent seemed somehow stronger than it typically was. Moreover, it felt even more enticing than usual; as did the characteristic and pronounced added scents of their combined nightly activities. "Hmm…" The image of Krypto's engorged member surged in her mind, the after-taste of his seed branded in her palate! She felt herself growing wet, knees buckling! "Gods… What the?! Not… Not yet!" She shook her head again, taking a moment of respite to regain her composure, leaning further against the wall, running a hand over the curve of her scalp. Once more, she looked at the cloth, silent and unmoving for a few seconds. "I suppose I could use a good apron. Might as well…" She said, wrapping the super-powered canine's cape around her chest, allowing its bouquet linger about her. "I'll wash it later."

As if breaking free from a trance, The Amazon Princess stepped away from the wall, grabbing a pair of white socks from a basket of fresh clothes and sliding them on for added stealth. Her lower ab no longer hurting, at least not as much, she merrily resumed her way to the kitchens. 

"I Best make lots and lots of juice, just to start with." Diana thought as she went, remembering the importance of proper hydration.

...

02 - “COCKCROW”

"Can you?" Lois Lane asked, raising a freshly cut slice of bread.

"Oh! Sure!" Clark Kent replied, raising his head from a notebook, lowering his glasses, eyes honed on that piece of loaf.

"Thanks, dear." The woman replied, spreading butter over the hot toast. "So..." She spoke, after taking a bite. "What you're up to today?"

"I'm going to the Fortress." Superman replied, filling the woman's mug with hot coffee from a pot when she lifted the emptied cup. "Right after we're done with breakfast."

"You told me that much before bed, yesterday. Come on, you know better than to think you're leaving without giving me some details."

"It's nothing special, Lois. Some of the machines there seem to be acting up lately. Remember when I went off-World a few months ago? One of Mongul's drones attacked the Fortress while I was away. Luckily Karen and Krypto were there and fought it off."

"Yeah, you told me that story back then. So, what about it?"

"Many things ended up broken in the process. I rebuilt it all, but I think I might have done it in a bit of a rush. I thought I'd take some things apart and put them back together, just to be safe. You know, prevent an accident before it happens."

Lois looked disappointed as if hoping to hear something more exciting. "Alright, but it's five thirty in the morning. You really need the whole day for that? Miss work, and all? What happened to super speed?"

Clark shrugged. "As I say, better be safe than sorry. Checking everything carefully takes time, even for me. Plus, I haven't used any of my sick days this year, so..."

"Hum…" Lois raised an eyebrow. "Now that you say that, neither have I. Could use the day to work on the follow up to that Vandal Savage story I've been meaning to write. I may just follow up on your lead there. After all, it's understandable if one of us gets the flu, so does the other." She bit her toast again. "Either way, you make sure to let me know if anything interesting happens on your end."

Superman smiled, looking back down at his notebook. "I always do."

03 - “CONFLUENCE”

This had not been Plasmus' day. The villain, whose body was a protoplasmic battery of radiation, had only recently been able to reconstruct himself after his latest defeat, and within mere moments into his first post-restoration foray, a quick rampage through the streets of Metropolis, he was unfortunate enough to run into none other than the Amazon Princess herself! What's worse, she wasn't alone. Though he was a formidable superhuman being on his own right, in that regard, Plasmus still found himself a whole league behind both the likes of Wonder Woman, and the Super-dog who accompanied her. The instant that asymmetrical pair showed up, his defeat was not only assured, it also happened as easily as it did swiftly.

Though the conflict had been brief, it still managed to raze half a city block worth of street-span before the villain was knocked-out and contained by the Amazon's golden lasso. Fortunately, however, there were neither dead nor wounded to speak of; with members of the crowd having either scattered in time by themselves or been protected and carried to safety by Krypto; all but one.

"Hold steady..." Lois Lane said, holding up her phone, pointing it at the Amazon and her catch, who lay by the latter's feet, wrapped by her mythic golden lariat. "Damn it! I wish Olsen were here. He knows how to take good a picture. Okay… Can you… Can we get Krypto to step closer? I want him in frame with you two." She waved a hand, trying to tell the dog to move where she wanted him.

"Lois, I..."

"Come on, Diana. I don't get chances like this one too often. Being right there in the middle of the action as it happens is an opportunity I won't waste. Besides, it's good business. Krypto's been raising in popularity since he started working with you. His plushie toys are flying off the shelves. Some positive press ain't gonna cause anyone any harm." She lowered her voice, winking at the Amazon. "Clark gets a cut from those sales, you know? And mommy could use some new shoes." Raising her voice back up, she continued. "Now make a good pose and let me take some pictures, will ya?"

"The crowd is starting to gather. They've realized the danger has been managed. I should..."

"All the more reason to cooperate. It'll be quicker. Put a hand on your waist."

"Sigh… Alright. Like this?"

"No, more triumphant-like. Raise your chin. Look at how Krypto's standing. Yeah, like that." A succession of flashes erupted from the handheld phone. "So… I take it it's not a coincidence you showed up here. I'm not complaining, but you two, me, and Plasmus in the same place. Two outta three might've been a coincidence, but all three..."

"No, you're right. I meant to come by your place. It simply happened I perceived the commotion on the streets and..."

"You did? You?" Lois grinned, incredulous.

"Well, Krypto did, a few miles back. He brought me to Plasmus."

"I thought so. Then you came down here and did your thing."

"Right. Much like you did, I suppose. Running towards the fight, while everyone else was going the other way."

"It's my job."

"I don't think anyone besides you would describe it as such. You do have a habit of putting yourself into unreasonable risk."

"Maybe. Then again, now we're delving into areas concerning your job, aren't we?"

"I won't always be… That's…" Wonder Woman tried to respond, lost for words at the reporter's casual boldness, and at the fact the latter was correct.

"Heh. Then call me lucky; you showing up when you did." Lois pointed at Plasmus. "That one's not so lucky for it, though. Poor guy, I guess. You know, I heard Luthor even blew him up once."

"I heard that too." Diana said, looking around, examining the surroundings. "I don't mean to be rude, Lois, but are we just about done here? People are likely to swarm in any minute now."

"Yeah, I think so. Still not the best idea we leave together." She pocketed her phone.

"Leave together?"

"Weren't you coming to see me? I assume there was a reason."

"Oh, yes." Wonder Woman shook her head. "No, it's nothing important. To be honest, I didn't expect you'd be home. I was just bringing this." She pulled a stack of folded red pieces of cloth from a bag she carried.

"Are those Krypto's?"

"His usual attire, yes. They were piling up at the Dome; I was concerned you might run out. I intended to leave it on your balcony, but since we met, here you go."

"I see. You realize, of course, you don't need to clean these yourself?"

"I know. But they get soiled while I'm with him, so..." Diana looked away, pretending to search for onlookers, as her face blushed. "It is something I rather deal with myself. I don't mind doing it, truly."

Lois shrugged, taking the bundle. "Suit yourself. Better you than me, I say. Or Clark. All his powers and he can't even clean his boots properly. Every time he tries washing his cape, I get a new set of pink clothes. You'd think he'd learn, but you would be wrong. Although you probably should consider keeping some of these." Changing subjects, she jerked her head, designating the villain with a nod. "What about him?"

"He needs specialized to be taken to specialized confinement, I would assume. Considering the energies his body contains." Wonder Woman said, just before she pressed a button on her League communicator. "Excuse me a second." She told the reporter. "J'onn?"

A few moments later, the Martian Manhunter's deep voice echoed in response from the small device. "Diana?"

"Hi J'onn. Listen, I have Plasmus in my custody. Could you please direct me towards the proper facility where I should take him?"

"Just a minute."

"I know it's a bit late, but if you haven't eaten and if you're free we can do lunch. I do a mean reheated pizza." Lois told the Amazon, after the communicator went mute.

"Perhaps..."

"It appears we have an issue." The Martian's voice spoke again, before Wonder Woman could respond. "No fitting holding cell is currently vacant at any facility. At the earliest, there will be a three day period, before any is prepared and ready."

"What if..." Lois interjected. "Sorry to interrupt, but what if you take him to the Fortress? You know, Clark's place. He has all kinds of high-tech gadgets and boxes there, and it may be one of them..." She waved her hands. "Nah, what do I know?" She added, hiding a smirk, alongside her poor pretense of false modesty.

"Hm… I believe Ms. Lane is correct." J'onn said through the communicator. "If nothing else, the Phantom Zone technology can be of service. Not the kindest choice, perhaps, but it may be the best available."

"Clark's up there right now too. Can't hurt to ask him."

"Once more, she is correct." The Martian confirmed. "Diana, take Plasmus and leave him to Superman's care. Do it before he can become a threat again. We'll consider other options later. Afterward, report to the Watchtower."

"Report?" Wonder Woman asked, surprised by the unusual request.

"It's a new procedure we're testing. No more than a few forms to fill. If it's too much trouble, you can do it at a later time."

Diana shook her head slightly. "No, I think it's best to get it over with before something else comes up. Alright then. I'll send Krypto to deliver Plasmus while I come up to the Tower. Be right there."

"Superman's hound?"

"Yes. He's here with us. He took down Plasmus alongside me."

"Very well. I shall have the reports ready for you when you arrive. See you in a moment." Unceremoniously, the Martian ended the call.

"No lunch then?" Lois asked, shrugging.

"Next time, perhaps." Diana replied, warmly.

"Alright. Well, I better sneak out before the police comes." Lois said, looking at the Super-dog who had taken the liberty of gathering steel cables and bars from the surrounding debris. "Looks like your little helper's thinking ahead."

"Quite. He often does." Wonder Woman nodded, smiling, taking the canine's offerings and using them to trap the villain, while retracting her magic lasso.

"Raincheck on the meal, then?"

"Hopefully." Diana said. "I'll do the cooking."

"You know I'll hold you to that." Lois chuckled, already walking away.

04 - “MINELAYING”

***The Fortress of Solitude***

Superman was taken aback when he saw Krypto floating by his side, carrying an unconscious, melted-looking, purple body, which had been tightly wrapped with steel cables and bent metal bars. Whether he was simply too distracted by examining the machinery around the Fortress of Solitude, was immaterial. The Super-dog's ability to come and go undetected was uncanny; able to fool even Kryptonian-enhanced senses, mayhaps because of the alien canine's own capacity for superior perception, which dwarfed even his. "Krypto?! What do you have there? Is that… Plasmus?!" Superman asked, neglecting the electronics for a moment.

The dog barked affirmatively, dropping the villain's body to the ground with a thud. Twisting his head, Krypto unclipped his League communicator from underneath the red cloth around his neck and floated forward towards Superman, then depositing the device into the man's hand. 

"What's this?" Clark caught the communicator, examining it for a second. Seeing the blinking light, however, he immediately understood, and pressed the button which caused the recorded message to begin playing.

"Superman." The Martian Manhunter's voice spoke. "As you can see, We have Plasmus in custody. He requires specialized containment, however, which the superhuman holding facilities all currently lack. Your wife suggested he be kept in your Fortress while a cell is prepared, which is indeed the best option available at the moment. If there's a problem, contact me. Otherwise, this should be a matter of a few days, at most." With that, the device shut down.

"Oh, Lois..." Superman shook his head, knowing his wife had made the suggestion with the intent on him perhaps having something interesting for her to write about on the subject afterward, though he could not understand how she'd been able to make said suggestion in the first place. "It's not like it's the first time she manages to meddle with League business. Although, she's probably right." He thought, looking at Krypto. "Looks like Lois volunteered you for doing the delivery, eh boy?" He reached to pet the dog, who seemed to recoil, though Clark did not pay it much mind. "Right then, now where to put this guy?" He looked around, grabbing the unconscious evildoer, and hurling him over a shoulder.

Looking around, none of the possibilities appeared to be promising. Every high-tech option that could feasibly hold the mutated villain had either been destroyed or damaged, during Power Girl and Krypto's struggle some time before, and Superman experienced that lingering feeling of uncertainty, as each choice was taken in and out of consideration. "I guess it can't be helped." He said, moving towards the deepest bowels of the Fortress. "I didn't want to do this, but since it's only for a few days, the Phantom Zone will have to do." He spoke aloud, addressing both himself and the Super-dog, while they walked side by side. "Come on, boy."

Silently, the pair of heroes and the inert villain made their way into the lowest level of the Fortress of Solitude, wherein the device responsible for opening the doorway to, and from, the dreaded Phantom Zone was stored. Reticent, Superman placed Plasmus' body on a selected spot the ground, wherein he would soon be targeted by that same machine, then he stepped towards the latter, bearing equal reserve.

"I hate to do this, even to the likes of him." Clark told the superpowered canine, who stood nearby, referring to the hideous evildoer. Thoughts of the cruel nature of condemning even such a creature to an existence as a faint ghost-like being, floating in an endlessly empty void vexing his mind. It felt a little too sadistic, to be merely practical. "Sorry buddy, but this is our best bet right now. I'll make sure to get you out in a couple of days, I hope." He said, readying to activate the device.

To the hero's surprise, flipping of the Phantom Zone projector's switch produced a never before seen burst of energy, which erupted from the device, followed by a brief moment of inertness, then another burst, accompanied by matching discharges of radiation surrounding Plasmus' body, which disturbingly, Kryptonian eyes could easily behold.

"What?!" Superman looked around the machine, straining his sight to see if anything appeared out of the ordinary. As he did, there came a third burst, alongside an expansion of heat around the villain, though this time around, the projector functioned, unleashing forth a beam of dark energy, which enveloped the mutated monstrosity who'd remained unconscious through this entire process! And but a moment later, the beam stopped, and the creature vanished with it. "What was that?!" Superman reiterated, looking at the apparatus from all angles, tapping it with his finger. "I was certain you and Karen didn't get down to this level of the Fortress when you were fighting." He observed, addressing the Super-dog without looking, who in turn tilted his head, producing a low-pitched groan. "The Phantom Zone projector couldn't possibly have been damaged. It looks pristine, for God's sake."

For several minutes, the Kryptonian man fiddled with the machine, turning it every which way, while trying to spot anything out of place, on the outside and inside both. 

"There's nothing..." Clark thought. "Well then, looks like I'll have more work to do, taking this thing apart and putting it back together. Hum… Will probably take a couple of days, at least, if I do it cautiously, piece by piece. Lois won't be too keen, but at least you'll be keeping me company, right boy? Krypto?" He looked away from the projector, searching his surroundings, to find himself alone in the Fortress once more; the Super-dog having left undetected as he came, seeing as he'd fulfilled his duty of delivering Plasmus. "Oh well… I guess he can find better things to do with his time." 

05 - “A CANISTER OF GRUB”

***The Watchtower***

"This is… Surprisingly extensive." Wonder Woman said, flipping through the many pages of the report she was supposed to fill. "Why are we doing this again?"

"A database of enemies, alongside known methods for defeating them, plus additional information and theory concerning their powers and abilities are likely to give us a significant advantage when it comes to recurring, or similar threats." Replied the Martian Manhunter.

Diana frowned. "But, we do that already."

"Not to the extent and precision we'll be doing from now on. Batman designed this formulary himself, and I approved."

"Bruce… Figures."

The Martian's blank expression briefly broke, displaying an uncharacteristic amount of amusement and curiosity. "Interesting. Oracle made that very same observation."

"Barbara? Is she here, by any chance?"

"In the laboratory."

Wonder Woman stood silent for a moment, pondering on something that'd irked her for a while. "I think I'll go say hi before I leave."

"As you wish." J'onn said, as he produced another pile of paper, unphasingly handing it to the Amazon. "Since you mentioned working with him, you'll be filling an extra one in Krypto's stead, seeing as he cannot do it himself."

"Is that necessary?" Diana asked, annoyed.

"We need to record his interaction with Plasmus, just as we do yours. I understand this may be an unengaging endeavor, but I believe..."

"Yes, yes… I'll do it, don't worry. I'll take these home, bring them filled out tomorrow, or the day after."

"As you wish."

"Alright, J'onn. If that's all, I'm just going to go see Barbara. Then it's back to Earth. So, I suppose I'll see you again in a day, or two."

"That seems likely."

Wonder Woman began to walk away, stuffing the forms into a bag. "'Til then, J'onn."

"Goodbye, Diana."

*********

"Hey Barbara, you have a minute?" Wonder Woman asked, entering the research lab, wherein the bespectacled redhead examined something under a microscope. "If you're busy, I can come back."

"Oh, hello there, Diana. Don't worry about it; I'm just doing some forensics work. The equipment here is better than the one I own, so…" She pointed at a monitor by her side. "I'm not that busy. Coincidentally, I was even just watching you on the news. Plasmus, ey?" 

"Yes." Diana shrugged.

"Hum… It's odd that you're here though. Shouldn't you be taking him to specialized containment?"

"None of the prisons suited for superhumans have a holding cell currently adapted to him. J'onn said we need to keep him for a couple for days 'til a place is made ready. He's already contacted the all potentially suited facilities."

"You brought him to the Tower? That seems ill-advised."

"Oh, no. Lois suggested I take him to the Fortress of Solitude. Apparently, there are storage rooms that can keep Plasmus trapped for a while there. Either that, or the Phantom Zone is a possibility. J'onn agreed, so Krypto's flying him there."

"Krypto? Oh yeah, he was with you. Must be convenient having him around." Barbara fiddled with her glasses.

"Largely." Diana smiled.

"Uh-hum… So, you came up here just to chit-chat with me then?" Oracle asked in jest.

"Sadly, no. J'onn had this new set of report papers he said I should fill..."

Barbara laughed. "Right. Bruce's new make-work. Just take it home, bring it by some other day."

"That is the plan. In any case, when I heard you were here, I thought I'd come by the lab, Say hi and see if I could ask for a small favor."

"Sure, if I can help. What can I do for you?" Oracle replied, feigning a casual lack of curiosity.

"Well, it's probably nothing, but as I said, when I heard you were here, I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask."

"I heard you. So go ahead, ask away whatever you came to ask."

"I'm not sure how to explain it, or even if there's anything to explain, really. As you might imagine, I don't usually get sick."

Barbara raised an eyebrow, pushing up her glasses with a finger. "I would have guessed not. Why? You feeling bad, or something?"

"Not bad, I wouldn't say. It's just… It's just, have this nagging pain in my lower abdomen. At first, I thought I'd gotten hurt, but it doesn't seem to be going away. I mean, it's something that should have healed by now, if it was simply some ordinary wound. Again, it's probably nothing, but..." She looked down, rubbing her belly as she spoke.

"I see. Yeah, no problem." Oracle said, moving away from the desk, and towards a panel filled with screens and other electronic devices. "We can run some tests. Just give me a minute to calibrate it, and I'll have the body scan ready for you."

"Great. Thanks, Barbara."

"No problem. I just need a way to extract a blood sample and..."

"Blood sample? Is that required? I'm sure there's no need..."

"Better safe than sorry. Like you said, you don't have any experience with getting sick, so I think we should cover all bases here. We don't want you getting out of commission for a preventable cause, after all, now do we?"

Diana rubbed an arm. "Mm… I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am. Have you met me?" Barbara smiled. "Now, let's get started."

"How long until you can tell if anything's out of the ordinary?"

"The machines will probably give us something in a few minutes, but since you said you're not worried, or I assume in a hurry, or anything like that, I would prefer it if you could give me a day to have a good look at the data and see what I find. A thorough analysis with my own eyes can probably find patterns the computers won't"

"If you believe that's the best way to go, we can do that."

"I do. Come to my place tomorrow night. I'll give you my evaluation."

"Can it be in the afternoon?"

Barbara grinned. "Working the night shift?"

"Something like that." Diana replied, gazing down, as to examine the soles of her boots, checking for dirt.

"Alright, sure thing. Now, metal bits off, and step into the body scan..."

…

06 - “FUN AND GAMES”

***The Wonderdome***

Wonder Woman sat in her office room, facing her working desk, reading the documents she was supposed to fill, fiddling with a pencil in hand, though yet to put it to any use. The surface ahead of her was always messy, in spite of her regular attempts at keeping it neat, those having only ephemeral success. As such, a sudden desire of tidying it up began to bubble up inside her. "Ugh… I'm trying to find ways of procrastinating already." She thought, frustrated. Her lack of interest in the forms was palpable, yet the work had to be done.

Suddenly, faint clicking noises echoed from a sideway corridor, quickly breaking the Amazon Princess out of a mental stupor, when she readily recognized the always welcome sound of Krypto's claws threading over the Dome's marble floors. Before long, the canine himself followed the noise, stepping into the office, tail wagging vigorously.

"Hey there… Mmm..." Diana attempted greeting, just as half her face was firmly clinched inside the Super-dog's maw, and her mouth wholly filled by the sizeable fleshy volume of his tongue, when he hopped onto the chair, as soon as he reached her! She moved to embrace him, but to her astonishment and dismay, he stepped back, placing his front paws back down on the ground. "Ohh… Why did you..." She moaned dazed, her countenance glistening with saliva.

Moving away from the female, Krypto strode out of the room, leaving her wondering further, as to what his intent could be, though in truth, she had an idea.

Much as Wonder Woman thought, the canine did not take long to reappear, this time having removed his own collar and overgarment. The feedback triggered by this seemingly small act of undressing on his part, as powerful as it was well conditioned. "Not this time, lover!" She thought, delighted by his attempt at provoking a reaction. "We'll play later, alright boy?" She told him, teasing back with jestful condescension, looking once more at the documents in front of her, patting them. "I need to finish some work."

Krypto's reaction was one of absolute nonchalantly, as if he barely acknowledged what the woman said, or even the woman herself. He frolicked around the room, strutting in and out in a mildly aloof, vaingloried fashion.

For a while, Diana managed to pretend-ignore the canine, though a determination in doing so was enough of an effort that she still could not effect to put pencil to paper. She and he both were aware of each other's desires, only now the game was on, and she must not be the first to break! She tried focusing on whatever she could spot atop her table, but it wasn't long before her eye caught Krypto's erection as he casually moved about; Shimmering pink when light hit it, bobbing up and down while he stepped. The table ahead disappeared in a haze, just as the seat below felt increasingly bog-like. She pictured sliding a fingertip along his length, imagining that footspan snuggly going in and out of her. "The cheat!" Wonder Woman lowered her head closer to the desk, trying not to look; not to see. It helped little. "Gods have mercy on me! I can't take this! I want that thing inside me!"

Sustaining an air of innocence, Krypto casually came and went, not acknowledging anything out of the ordinary; instead, merely displaying an unusual degree of curiosity about the surroundings, whilst waiting to see what the raven-haired woman did; craving for her to ask!

"This chair's padding is ruined, and I won't be able to resist much longer! I need to move!" Diana thought. "Two can play at this game, though. Pretend all you want, stud; I know my scent is driving you insane." She weighed, looking at the Super-dog, whilst holding a proverbial poker face. "Only one thing to do." Gathering her strength, she rose, legs shaking, thighs dripping. "Be right back, boy." She said, concentrating on standing straight, then walking steadfastly when leaving the room.

As Krypto had expected, a short while later, the Amazon returned. Having followed his example, she bore no attire, aside from her bracelets. Grinning broadly, she paced confidently, her hips swaying, satin-black hair billowing behind, her large breasts jiggling with each step, pink nipples stiff. His eyes missing none of it!

"Let's see you try a taste of your own medicine." Diana thought, looking at the canine, who sat, astonished at the sight of her! "That's better. It was getting hot in here, don't you agree?" She said. 

Krypto dared not move, lest his will fail, or his erection explode! 

"Well now… I need to do some chores around the Dome. I could use some help, and I'm sure you'll step up, right? Come along then, boy."

As the pair walked out of the room, neither of them questioned how this afternoon would end, nor how the ensuing night would proceed. Still, they enjoyed playing the game, just like they had to see who was more eager for it this day; who would outlast the other. So far, Krypto maintained a steady lead, but Diana was determined to close the gap.

*********

Wonder Woman bit at the Super-dog's neck, holding back only shy of hurting him, just as he always did to her! Legs and arms wrapped tightly around his powerful canine frame, nails raking at his back, while a scream was stifled by his hide! Yet again, she was trapped between his fur above, and the mattress underneath, them both equally damp with Amazonian sweat!

Krypto, in turn, knew to hold steadfast for the moment. The knotting was always painful to the female; the feat and fit alike a strain nearly beyond her capability, demanding of a particular combination of precision and force from he and she both, such that it always required hours of passionate priming before it was even possible! Once achieved though, he could overcome the discomfort of her tightness immediately, through the sheer pleasure of being enveloped fully by her lips. But she always required that brief pause, where physical stress would eventually bridge her towards yet another climax; that long-awaited instant when she would clasp him tightest, and he would surge inside her in urgent response!

So it came to pass. Amazon Princess and Super-dog, each soothing the other's distress and strain through a wave of sexual gratification so intense, it allowed for nothing else; no distinct sensation to stand in its way! At that moment, there could be nothing but their carnal juncture!

With the appropriate amount of screaming and moaning out of the way, Diana finally let go of the dog's scruff, relaxing her arms and legs, while her chest heaved up and down, right along the beast's, their combined push and pull of heavy breathing and panting almost a waltz. Very deliberately, Krypto loomed over, nose pressing to the female's, eyes likewise locked, while his tongue was casually allowed to droop into her lips, and they both caught theirs and each other's breaths, exchanging hot gasps. Though he usually favored knotting her from behind, on occasion the two of them would finish face to face like this, something which the Amazon Princess always found to be a special treat.

"Ohh, Gods! You're... Spoiling me, stud." Diana whispered with a moan. "More so... Than usual. If that's even... Conceivable." She ran a hand over his flank, then under his belly, eventually reaching the point where they tied together. Spreading her index and middle finger, she traced over the shape of her parted lips, clipping the stretch of stem that connected the underside of Krypto's knot to his groin. "Gods, it's inside me! All of it!" She thought, as always scarcely able to believe it, the math never quite adding up, when she tried to picture the whole of his bulk with her mind's eye. By now she was so intimately familiar with that beastly member, that simply by closing her eyes Diana could visualize every detail, every contour and every vein of it, with remarkable precision. "What could even be the extent of such a mass? Not the slightest bit of me is vacant! How… By Hera, I wonder the same thing every time!"

Sensing his partner was more at ease, Krypto began the customary post-knot rocking of his hips. A soft back and forth less than a quarter inch worth, if that, yet enough to bring the Amazon to climax two, or three more times over, before he was fully drained and spent by her; Before either of their bodies would allow their connection to waive. 

"That's it… Ahh… That's perfect!" Diana moaned again. Her hands transitioning to hold the Super-dog's face by each side, opening her eyes, they locked gaze once again. His erection twitching, spurts of seed shooting inside her, while the excess of it was forced from her vaginal gates in hot spurts with each minute motion. In a few seconds, Wonder Woman knew she would be overwhelmed by another orgasm; one of the last from the countless string which made up this night alone. "I feel it! Every twitch… Gods! Ah… Every gush! Come on, stud... Show me… Ah... How you love this… As well! Show me how… Ah! How you enjoy despoiling my insides! Give me every drop of you!"

Happy to comply, Krypto maintained a constant pace, deliberately bringing the female to the peak of pleasure, more than glad to let her seize every bit of semen he could produce!

The following minutes proceeded right along the lines of the canine's design. Wonder Woman could not speak anymore, only pant and scream, embracing her beastly lover again as he treated her to another drawn-out climax; one less intense than those typical of their previous moments of ravenous coitus, but fittingly with how their bodies now connected, far more intimate!

"Oh, Gods… By Aphrodite!" Wonder Woman mumbled, barely coherent, while the orgasm subsided, and she regained a measure of control of herself. "That's a good boy!" She smiled, reaching under Krypto again, gently cupping and massaging his testicles. Though canine seed oozed from her abundantly, she knew better than to think he was finished. He remained fully hard, and she fully tied! They were sure to stay stuck a good quarter of an hour still. "Ah… Nothing... Compares to this!" She spoke, more to herself than to the dog, thinking of the entire soiree which lead to this moment. The joyous, though violent foreplay, the hours of animalistic, frenzied lovemaking, and now the ultimate cherry on top of it all!

Once more, Krypto remained stationary, waiting for the female's next cue. His superior sensory array and mental focus at the ready; honed towards the task of claiming the Amazon through overwhelming ecstasy! 

"Oh... I'm… I'm starting to think you like me, stud." Wonder Woman smiled in jest, catching her breath. "All that sperm... And... You're still completely hard!" She joked as if this wasn't the standard to which she'd grown used. "Either that... Or perhaps... I just… Don't excite you enough to tap you completely." She added, caressing his balls.

Bending down, Krypto turned his head, wrapping the Amazon's face, from nose to chin, inside his gaping jaws! His full weight pressed atop the statuesque heroine, his fangs scraping her cheeks, and his tongue coiling around hers!

"The scoundrel knows just the perfect move at every turn!" Diana thought, closing her eyes, pressing a hand behind his head! "By the Gods, his tongue might be the only thing that tastes better than his cock!" Abandoning any further intent of teasing or joking, Wonder Woman simply let herself melt under the beast's touch, swaying her hips as she could, whilst he maintained his erection fixed in place, spit-roasting her between dog tongue and canine cock. In a short moment, she could tell, they would climax together again!

It came slowly, after a long build-up, another race across the zenith of pleasure! When the Amazon Princess tightened her hold around the Super-dog, arms, legs, and sex, all together; While he gushed inside her, one last time, coating every square inch with the life-giving fluid which Diana was only too glad to receive! Pressure between their joined genitals increased, relieved only by the occasional hot sprays which managed to escape her entrance over his knot, for they lacked the room to stay inside! All through this process, their tongues did battle, and their combined drool oozed in streams down the woman's neck!

To this day, Wonder Woman could not understand why it was that she could let go of so much when being intimate with Krypto. As a trained warrior, allowing herself to be in such a vulnerable position, with such a powerful beast who could easily tear her flesh apart; to let it gnaw and claw her to its heart's content, trusting it not to go too far, should feel instinctively wrong. But it never did. It was not a simple matter of the devastating pleasure he provided overtaking her, preventing her from reacting or knowing anything else. In truth, there was an unexplained, unmitigated state of ease about being alone with him.

At last, Krypto could pull himself from the Amazon, his deflating knot audibly popping out through lips which still managed to protest the fleshy bulk's departure, doggedly clinging to that girth for as long as they would stretch! As their mouths similarly disengaged, he gave the female's face a few tender licks, before finally moving to lay on the bed beside her.

Diana turned her head, knowing she had only moments before passing out. Gathering the last of her strength, she reached for Krypto's cock, rolling over as to be face to face with it, grabbing the member with both hands. It still compared to her forearm in size, in spite of being much smaller, much softer than when fully engorged. It was also covered in a thick syrup-like sap, made up of their combined, concentrated fluids, which she readily began to lick, whilst milking the shaft and consuming whatever remnants of seed still flowed. "I meant it when I said it, stud. Every drop is mine!"

07 - “OMEN”

"Anything?" Wonder Woman asked, trying to mask her anxiety with a less than successful attempt, pacing over the wooden floors of the living room inside the other woman's apartment.

Barbara waited a moment before replying, taking questionable joy at making the Amazon wait while peering at a tablet in her hands. "I… I guess. Results are subtle, but they seem to point towards a fairly clear possibility."

"What do you mean? Should I be worried?"

"That's relative." Oracle grinned, raising her eyes.

"I don't understand. Am I indeed ill, or..."

"I'm pretty sure you're not sick. Not in any way the scans or tests could detect. However, they did pick up a few... Unusual things. Good thing I had a look. There were minor variations in your body temperature, your voice has registered as mildly higher than normal, and your skin is slightly more blushed. This last one, I could tell from the start, by the way."

"I still don't understand. How does any of that relate to..."

"Yeah, about your pelvic pains; tell me, have you maybe noticed your sense of smell being a little more acute?"

Wonder Woman shook her head slightly, surprised at both the question, and her answer. "Now that you mention it, yes I have."

"And if you don't mind my asking, are your breasts feeling a bit more sensitive lately?"

"I suppose..." Diana looked down at her bust; A motion meant as much to hide her face, as to examine the contents of her breastplate.

Barbara remained silent for a moment, waiting for the Amazon to reply, though quickly lost patience when the latter took too long. "Come now, Diana. You really don't know where I'm going with this?"

"Should I?"

"Mmm… I guess a lot of people wonder, pun intended, but we never really discussed it. Given your unique biology, it's maybe not a surprise for it to be unusual..."

"Barbara, I mean no offense, but I'm starting to worry. What are you talking about?!"

"Well..." Oracle chuckled. "Looks like you're ovulating."

"What?! Are you…" Diana sat on a chair. "How can you know? How can you be certain?"

"All the signs are there. I'm almost entirely sure of it. We could, of course, collect some samples of cervical mucus to be a hundred percent sure."

"No!" Wonder Woman shook her head again, vigorously this time. "That won't be necessary."

"In that case, it's the only diagnosis we can possibly reach. You know, when we add it all up."

"But how? Why? I don't understand."

"Beats me." Barbara shrugged. "You're the result of the combined essences of multiple divine beings. Your biology, if we can even call it that, is unique, to say the least. Maybe some external factor might have been of some influence and..." She halted, noticing the Amazon's reddening countenance. "Anyway, like I said, beats me. To be perfectly frank, Diana, I don't even know if I'm surprised this is an unusual thing for you, or if I should have expected it to be."

"I see." Diana said, stopping in place, regaining her composure, yet already half-turning towards the exit door. "Thank you, Barbara."

"Don't mention it. But wait, you're going already? You just got here. At least stay for a cup of tea. I have to be honest, I've got some questions I'd like to ask. Maybe we can shine some light on why and how this works, you know?"

Wonder Woman rubbed her forehead, halting again for a moment. "I… I'm sorry, Barbara. I must get going. Perhaps we can talk, or do something together later, but I think I need a little breathing room after this conversation. Besides, I have a... Scheduled commitment to attend."

"Oh. I get it."

"I apologize if my actions seem rude. Believe me. I wanted to stay and chat a while..."

Oracle waved a hand. "Don't worry about it, really. Take your time. If you need anything, let me know."

"Well… Would you mind it, keeping this private? At least for now."

"My lips are sealed." The redhead gestured as if zipping her mouth shut.

Diana nodded. "Thank you."

"Diana." Barbara called out, just as the Amazon turned to leave once more. "If you want to talk about something, whatever it is; anything. Really. Don't hesitate in calling me."

Wonder Woman smiled, her expression puzzling, as it appeared to contain unease and euphoria, both bubbling just beneath the surface. "I'll keep that in mind."

...

08 - “QUANTUM LEAP”

***The Fortress of Solitude***

For nearly two days, Superman had been working on the Phantom Zone projector. Though he was no engineer, he'd acquainted himself with the process of taking things apart, and putting them back together many times over, to the point it was almost a hobby, such as a child assembling puzzles. This particular piece of machinery was of distinct importance, however, both for the sentimental value it had, since it could be traced back to his late homeworld, but also for the utility it still possessed. Because of this, Clark had taken special care with separating and cleaning every individual part of the whole before any attempt at reassembly. Now, however, the time had come. Confident that the task had been performed as well as he could do it, and having found nothing to be out of place, he spent most of the past few hours rebuilding the device, always eager to get the job done, so he could finally resume his ordinary routine.

"Welp looks like that's it." Superman said, dusting himself off, placing the apparatus in its usual place, over an elevated crystalline podium which sprang from the ground itself. "If there's anything wrong with this thing now, it's beyond my abilities." He clicked the very last piece, the power cell, into its assigned slot, causing the machine to glow alight with power. "All done. It looks like it was all just a big pile of nothing. Works for me." He chuckled. "I don't think Lois will like that story though. Speaking of which, if I hurry, I think I can probably still meet her before dinner. I guess I better get going before I'm sentenced to another night of day-old pizza."

Just as Clark took the first steps, intent on leaving the room, all of a sudden, a spark flared up from the Phantom Zone projector! And in the sliver of time it took for Superman to turn his head, everything had changed!

*********

The world had become a chaotic swirl of indistinct colors and dulled sounds! For a while, Clark could not access his superhuman senses; He stumbled, dizzyingly searching for support, yet none was there to be found. Even his ability to fly could only be tapped into enough to keep him from falling, and nothing more! "I can't… What happened..." He slurred his words, trying to piece together what occurred. Was it an explosion? Couldn't have been; he felt nothing, heard nothing.

As his perception started to return over the ensuing seconds, Superman feared his mind had unhinged, when he began to discern the startling nature of his surroundings. All of it was wrong! The Fortress of Solitude was gone! Around him, there was little more than a vast, waxen crater! The cold wind on his face still felt eerily similar to that of the arctic regions, yet it simply could not be! The sky above was of a black and red glow, with flecks of dust and ash falling, not unlike snow. A disturbing screech echoed through the air, like the constant buzzing of bees, both far away, and all around nearby. "Where am I?!"

"It worked!" A female voice shouted from the back, laughing with elation.

Clark turned to see who it was, but the sudden movement caused his legs to falter. Before his knees would reach the ground, however, someone caught him! A pair of hands pressed against his chest and upper back, holding him up. When staring at the ground, Superman saw what looked like huge paws, white in color, with grey talons beside his feet! Shifting his gaze, he discerned that the appendage which gave him support was a similarly large, white hand, also sporting grey claws for nails, followed by a strangely familiar silver band. 

"I got you, uncle Clark. Hold on." The person helping Superman spoke. His voice was deep and strange, yet there was something pleasant and recognizable about its timbre.

Raising his head, Clark could see that this man was powerfully built, slightly taller and slimmer than himself, and that about his neck and over a shoulder, he wore a red, gold-rimmed half-cape sprouting from a metal medallion which bore the known crest of the Kryptonian house of El. "Who..."

"Quickly! The patrols are here!" The female voice screamed again.

"Here, hold him!" The man replied. "I'll buy us some time while you activate the boom tube."

"What's going on?" Superman thought, hoisting his head further, managing a glimpse at the countenance of the person who aided him, just before the latter took flight. It was a man, and yet not; at least the body was mostly shaped as such, but the head... What startled Clark most of all, however, was that in spite of looking somehow different, those bestial features were still readily identifiable. "Krypto?!"

…

WONDER WOMAN - “THE LAP OF THE GODS”

END OF PART 1.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2.


	2. "Future I"

WONDER WOMAN - "THE LAP OF THE GODS"

PART 2 - “FUTURE I”

01 - "EROS"

Wonder Woman's design for a peaceful soirée had come to pass smoothly enough, even more so than expected; or at least it did so at first. Following a productive, if stressful workday, Diana felt little desire for anything more than a quiet time and some rest. Upon arriving at the Wonderdome, however, just as the final minutes of dusk were giving way to night, she found that Krypto, the Super-dog, was already there, waiting for her alongside a fresh, hot meal, which he'd somehow acquired from one of the bistros where she'd regularly purchase. As it was, wondering about the mystery of how the flying canine managed to perform such gestures of regard for her was well over her head; She was simply glad to have arrived home with dinner waiting for her, and the dog's benefactions were as welcome as his presence; even if the latter was sure to derail the evening's plan.

Truth be told, Diana had been concerned about things brought up during her latest conversation with Barbara; what it all could mean to her life and ongoing relationship. She had outlined a quiet night of relaxation followed by rest, intent on mulling things over; or so it was supposed to go, regardless of whether she'd spend that time alone or with Krypto. The dog, however, seemed to have a different outcome for the evening in mind. Skillfully, he broke through the Amazon's defenses, feeble as they were. After supper, they had snuggled together under a blanket and over a mountain of cushions, enjoying some kind of low-budget horror film marathon showing on television. Barely half an hour had passed though, before any images and sounds issuing from the machine all but lost meaning or context for the mismatched pair supposedly watching.

Little by little, Krypto had inched his way into Wonder Woman's heart, as well as between her legs. A few strategically placed and well-timed licks was all it took. Before the woman could help it, her truest desires had been ignited and roused past control, and soon enough she and he rolled under the covers, embracing, swapping spit.

The canine's tongue was a feast which far surpassed in bounty and zest and manner of food! as far as Diana was concerned, that was the true meal for the night, or perhaps, a fitting appetizer for the coming feast. Breaking from a lasting kiss, she and Krypto had fully disrobed, ditching the blanket in the process. She stretched herself over the mattress, lying on her belly, while he stood just above, over her. Unbeknownst to her, the canine had previously taken a bottle of almond oil from one of the Dome's pantries; an object which he maintained hidden between the sheets up until the time to use it. Without warning, he bit and squeezed the flask all over her back, subsequently using his tongue to taste and massage her, prompting her muscles to relax under his warm, wet touch. Caught in the moment, Diana did not react, instead allowing her beastly lover to savor and knead as it wished. All the while though, she felt the hot tip of his erection brushing her as he moved about, and just as she eased off, the tension which faded from her muscles began to build elsewhere. Wonder Woman knew the dog far too well to think any move of his was made with anything but intent; only, there was no helping it; he was just too good at pushing her buttons. "All these knots being removed from my body. I believe it's fair you get to put one in it." She spoke, almost without thinking.

Just as the Amazon Princess spread her legs, the Super-dog was inside her, humping slowly, making her moan while he kept up with the massage on her back. The pair held that position for several minutes before the pace began to increase into a more and more frantic, vicious display of raw, absolute passion!

Diana screamed as she and Krypto would tear and soil yet another mattress, imprinting it with shadows of their shapes, made out of oil and bodily fluids. The pair of them soon fell to the floor, slowly crawling towards the bathroom over a lewd succession of multi-orgasmic tumbling, until they managed to reach the shower, under which their activity continued below a rain of steaming water. For a couple of hours, they remained under the flow, slamming each other against the walls, twisting and flipping as their bodies would enjoy every position available. She climaxed over and over in that interim, her juices washing down the drain alongside water, oil and animal seed. Her nails clawed the dog's hide, as he scratched her skin, both of them embracing, limbs entwined, hips ramming together, mouths clamped! All throughout, that peerless ache, the ecstatic sensation of being torn asunder, filled and ravished by the Super-dog's colossal canine cock drove her to a delicious, upheld delirium!

Squirting, jerking in response to each vaginal clasp, Krypto also ached, much like the female, his member so swollen by the excitement of being inside her it perpetually throbbed, not unlike the very pressure around it made it feel! It only made the experience better though. He rammed the Amazon with the same gusto she displayed in being fucked as such. Before long, he and she were back on the floor, sliding along cold stone on the way back to bed, the woman's long, wet hair leaving a moist trail along their path.

Hours passed as Wonder Woman and the Super-dog rolled around all over the bedroom, caught in a spell of hysterical, untamed lovemaking. I was long past midnight when they finally reached the culmination of their encounter. Over a moist, ripped mattress Diana was placed on her back, Krypto atop her, and their loins joining as one. Once the final minutes of euphoria began to dwindle, she reached for the blanket, clumsily covering them both to the extent that she could, without shifting position. "Heavens! Ohhh..." she moaned, embracing Krypto, conscious of his weight over her, his head resting beside hers. Below, she felt the final jerks of his cock, gushes of canine semen oozing down her buttocks at the smallest sway of either hers or his hip. "Don't pull out." She whispered, running a hand up to rest behind the beast's head, even though it would be a while before he'd be able to do as she said. Biting her lower lip, she smiled looking at the ceiling, considering how this night had gone so wrong, and yet so right. All the worry which had her reticent at the idea of bedding the Super-dog was for naught. In the end, she only wished she could always remain, could always feel, as she did right now, with him fully swollen, tied and squirting inside her. "Let's rest, and when we wake, we'll pick it up from where we are."

Krypto raised his head, looking down at the female, their noses together harbinging a kiss.

"You heard it right, stud. Tomorrow's a free day no League or politics. So I want to wake up with you inside me. I want you there all day, no matter what we do. Whether we're bathing, eating, or doing anything else; unless there's an emergency, I don't want my body to ever experience your absence." As she said it, it dawned on Diana whether she should be aiming for just the opposite of such a demand. The time for pondering was scarce, however, as Krypto stifled words and thoughts both, engulfing her mouth with his!

02 - "ADVENT"

"He's slipping in and out of consciousness. I don't think he's all that well. Get Lena! I'll rush him to sickbay."

The low baritone speech issuing from this bipedal canid creature dragged Superman back to the world of the living once more. Over the past minutes, or at least he thought they were minutes, he'd struggled to keep himself awake, intermittently losing and regaining awareness, though never quite able to force his body to move. What could have happened that drained him so? Moreover, where was he? He recalled flying over grey wastelands, a freezing wind on his cheeks, yet now he found himself inside a white, bright room. Before his eyes could adjust as to acquire more information, a woman's voice startled his consciousness again, though this time, it the sound carried with it a familiar timbre.

"You idiot!" A blonde woman shouted, dashing through the room, landing a painful sounding smack across the bestial man's face.

"Karen?!" Superman thought, squinting. Her clothes and hair were slightly off, but the buxom frame was hard to mistake; much like the aggressive attitude.

"What did I tell you about going ahead with that stupid idea?!" The blonde woman continued, unleashing more furious blows onto her target's head and chest.

"We succeeded. Look!" The dog-man hybrid said, showcasing the limp hero he carried.

"Wh… I… Clark?" For the first time, the woman acknowledged the caped, blue-clad man, the sight of him breaking her out of her blind anger. "I don't believe it! It's… You. Can you hear me?" She lifted his head, tenderly catching his face. "Is he alright?"

Superman tried his hardest, but even raising his eyelids felt like an effort well beyond him. 

"He will be." Another female voice stated, coming from afar, though evidently approaching.

Suddenly, Superman felt another pair of hands fasten around his face, cold ones, which forcefully raised his gaze and eyelids to meet the visage of a beautiful, yet harsh-faced woman. She had broad features, lightly tanned skin and dark blue eyes; though by far what was most immediately striking was her complete absence of hair.

"I had imagined the displacement was likely to cause such a reaction. He'll be fine, he just needs to recharge. Hum… It looks like he's about to pass out again. Take him to room seven, and call Oracle. I imagine she'll want to be the first person to have a word with him, as soon as he's able to talk."

"Oracle? B… Barbara?" Superman remembered the redhead's face, just as his mind started to fade again, much as his vision.

"What about everyone else?" The woman who looked like Power Girl asked. "I mean, your idea worked. This means… Where do we go from here?"

"Yes. You don't have to tell me what it means. I've already talked to Natasha. She'll contact everyone accordingly, and we'll all meet in due course to plan on how to move ahead. Right now though, I need to make sure he recovers as fast as possible."

…

03 - "UNFURL"

"Hey, Karen. Thanks for coming so soon in such short notice." Barbara Gordon said, welcoming Power Girl into her apartment.

"Hey now, my options were either to come here for breakfast or to scrounge my fridge for dinner leftovers." Karen said in jest, closing the door behind her, as she walked towards the abode's open kitchen, pacing behind her friend's wheelchair.

"In that case, can I interest you in some donuts?"

"You most certainly can. Anyway, It was a bit of a surprise to have you call me in the morning. Since you didn't sound all that desperate though, I assume it's nothing urgent." Power Girl remarked, taking a seat, while Oracle brewed them both some coffee to go with the edibles.

"Not urgent. At least I don't think so. I just wanted to ask you a few things. Hang on, I'll be with you in a minute." Barbara said, moving back and forth between sink, balcony, and fridge, carrying food and utensils from one place to the next.

"Well then, here I am. Ask away."

"Straight to the point then? I guess it's the best way to do this; rip the bandages in one swift move."

"What are you talking about?"

Barbara scratched her nose, aiming to hide a smirk behind her hand. She relaxed on her chair, sipping on her cup, considering how it was, after all, best to just come out with it, instead of building up to the unusual inquiry. "So, how long have you known about Diana and Krypto?"

Power Girl flinched. "Again, what the hell are you talking about?!" She asked, though her voice came out both higher and louder than intended, alongside a standoffish stance which betrayed any attempt at deception.

"Come on, Karen." Oracle shrugged. "I was right there with you watching, when the two of them screwed each other senseless, inside the Queen of Fable's world. I mean, I think we can both get the appeal, from her standpoint. After that, any perusal at the locations for each League communicator would often show the dog staying at Diana's place, and not by himself. I am pretty sure you can do simple math, same as me. Only then, we add to that how you've been spending time with Wonder Woman, hanging out in some isolated French café… Well, let's just say it wasn't the greatest mystery to crack. Considering you and Diana were not known for being anything close to besties prior."

"Are you… Have you been tracking us?!"

"Tracking is such an ugly word. Let's say I was following your footprints." Barbara smiled. "I didn't mean anything by it, but I couldn't help noticing certain patterns appearing while doing my job. Still, how right am I? How long?"

"I didn't… I kinda found out by accident. I… I'm not sure."

"Aha! I knew it! So Diana has been getting busy with Krypto, after all!" The redhead slapped herself on the knee.

"Wait, what?! You didn't..."

"I had my suspicions, yeah. Of course, I wasn't sure, but these clues I hinted at were all there, and all true. Coming to you with the accusation was a bit of a gamble, I admit, but as you can see, it paid off. Thanks for confirming my theory, by the way."

"You… Bitch! If you tell Diana I told you anything, I swear to God, I'll..."

"Simmer down, Karen. This isn't about gossip. It's actually fortunate to find that Diana's been talking to someone about her private affairs. Maybe you can help her."

"Help her? What do you mean? If you want me to tell her to stop it; you know, the thing with the dog; I've been down that road and back more than once, and I'm telling you, it's beyond hopeless."

"Really? Well, that does make things more complicated. There seem to be new developments, new risks at play right now though. Could be there's also a better chance she'll listen to you next time around."

"New risks?" Power Girl shook her head. "As with anything to do with this affair, I'm almost certain I'm gonna regret asking, but you got me curious. What are you on about?"

"So, Diana went to the Watchtower while I was working there, a few days ago. She was feeling kinda funny, and she asked I performed some medical exams on her. Won't bother you with the details but, long story short, she's ovulating."

"So?"

"Seems she doesn't usually do that."

"You mean..."

"Yep. For whatever reason, her body started to perform what we'd typically call a normal function, only to her, it ain't normal."

"I don't… Yeah, it's a little odd, but she's not exactly a regular woman. Not of any species we could identify anyway."

"Yeah, but… Think about it. Why would that happen now? Doesn't the timing seem a little… Telltale?" Oracle shook her head, fiddling with her glasses. "Alright, I'll be the first to admit this is all just theorizing on my part, but I think… I think her body might be reacting to Krypto."

"Okay. I did not expect to hear that one. Or at least, I hope I didn't. Go on."

"I dunno. Maybe her body recognizes the dog's power, and it deems it fit for her. Maybe she's subconsciously receptive to him, and it began to affect her physiology. It's hard to say. Regardless, we'd be pretty terrible friends if we didn't try warning her. And since I can't do it straight up, since she doesn't know I know about Krypto, well, here you are."

"Oh, awesome. I'm your weird mouthpiece then. Boy, is that ever an awkward conversation to have. You got no idea what those two have been up to, let me tell ya."

Barbara grinned. "I can imagine. You can tell me later. For now though, since you can talk to her about it..."

"No, you cannot. Believe me. And how am I supposed to talk to her about it? I can't just walk up to her and say I sensed she was ovulating, you know?"

"You may not need to. I've told her about the results of the examination. She knows it. And I believe if you hang around and talk to her enough, she'll bring the subject up herself. Diana may be a private person, but she hardly has much of a filter with the people she does talk to."

"Boy, ain't that the truth. Even so, what could I say, that I haven't said before? I brought up all the moral issues, not to mention the insanity to what she's doing already. Like, a hundred times over."

"It's a different issue altogether now. Whatever we may think of it, her involvement with the dog was, thus far, void of consequence. From now on, unlikely as it may be, that might not be the case anymore."

"So, just to be crystal clear here, with what we're discussing. You really think that she could… That Krypto could knock her up?"

"To be honest, no. Not by any scientific standard I'm familiar with. Then again, this is Wonder Woman we're talking about. Any possibility, however small, is an unreasonable risk to take knowingly. As I said, I think it's our duty to at least give her some warning."

"Our duty? You mean mine. Thanks for dropping the hot potato in my hand, by the way."

"Sorry Karen, but you're just in the right position and time for it."

"Sure." Power Girl ran a hand through her hair. "God, can you even imagine? If she really got..."

"Yeah. Then again, we've seen some weird stuff in our day."

"Sure, but this is a little too close to home, you know? What would a mix of those two even be like? Would it even be… Sentient?"

"Sapient, you mean? I'd imagine so. Krypto does have the same neurological profile as a dog, as it were, but in terms of raw cognitive capability, he's as smart as humans. In a way, given the speed of his processing power, he can outthink us both. Well, you at least."

"Sounds like you've given some thought to the idea."

"Just the inevitable musing. Either way, we should try making it so the subject won't demand any more consideration."

"I'm tellin' ya, won't be so easy. I mean, Krypto's quite the, hum… Capable performer."

"I saw it, remember? We all did. I won't lie, it was quite an impressive display. Full disclosure here, I kinda get it. If I were Diana… I mean, were it not for this recent development, I wouldn't even bring it up."

"Are you serious? Look, I also get the appeal from a certain perspective, but this is just the type of stuff that should never leave one's imagination. It's like when we fantasize about beating up a rude cashier. Think of all the negative repercussions, if..."

"I have. That's just my point though."

"I don't get it."

"Well, Diana's performance has improved quite a bit over the past year. Sorry to say, but the numbers don't lie. She's been training with Krypto… Actual training, not just... You know. Her reflexes are sharper and her stamina has consistently shown increase. Same with him. Also, the two of them have been real dynamos at taking out significant threats together. On top of that, even Wonder Woman's diplomatic work has showcased better results, and that's despite the fact she's been spending far more time at home."

"Oh, my God. You sound just like her, rationalizing the affair."

"I'm more than aware it sounds crazy to say, but the dog has been a positive influence on her, and she on him. If nothing else, his powers are being put to use other than mostly standing guard inside Superman's secret fort."

"Oh, you better believe they are!" 

"Heh. I know, right? Still, you talk to her and I, for my part... I'll see if there's something else I can be working on to help."

"You know what's most disturbing about what you just said? I just realized the stupid mutt might be a better boyfriend than anyone I've ever dated."

Leaning back, Barbara laughed. "Holy shit! You might be right, and I'm right there with you."

"Geez, I gotta remember to stock up on ice cream on the way home. Actually… You got any here?"

"It's eight in the morning. Sigh… In the fridge. Get two bowls."

...

04 - "MAN OF TOMORROW"

"There's that face I remember. Can't believe how much I missed that frown."

Upon first opening his eyes, Superman stared silently, assuring himself that his mind must have been playing tricks on him. He was on a bed, in what appeared to be a well-lit hospital room; a blanket pulled up to his chest. The person facing him, however, talking to him no less, was by far the most surprising element to this confounding puzzle. It was Lois. Or it had to be. Except that this woman looked two decades older, at the very least.

"Aren't you gonna say I look good, Smallville?"

"I… Lois? Is it really you?" Clark reached out with a hand, almost though not quite touching the woman's face.

"Are you sure you want me here? Would it not be preferable to speak to him by yourself?" A deep monotone voice spoke out.

"J'onn?" Superman shook his head, finally noticing that there were two people in the room alongside him.

"Yes." Lois told the Martian. "Ordinarily I rather do it alone, but it'll be quicker to explain things with you here, and time isn't something we can afford to waste."

"I see. I will remain silent then, and you tell me when I am needed."

"What happened? Where am I?" Clark inquired.

"Not just where. When." Lois replied to the man's question, taking his hand between hers. "Listen, I'll explain everything. I think I should start by telling you I'm sorry, but I'm also glad it was you."

"I don't understand. Sorry? For what?"

"We needed help. In our desperation we dragged someone innocent into the mess we're in here. You may have realized it already, but you're not in your own World. You're not even in your own time. What you maybe haven't noticed though, is, I'm a little bit older than your Lois." She smiled.

"What? How?" Superman asked, eyes darting between this other Lois and the unmoving green-skinned man.

"I'll explain the process first since it's my fault you're here. Traveling through time and space is… Complicated. It's more accurate to say it's a type of dimensional travel, skipping between the endless streams of parallel timelines. Regardless, you have been stripped from your continuum and brought into ours. We are, in a way, in your future. Or more precisely, the closest potential to it."

"But..." Clark began to retort, only Lois placed a hand over his lips.

"Lemme finish. I'll answer all your questions later. So, apparently the act of moving an object… A person; from one universe to the next, even if those are close, if that's a thing they can be, well, it's tremendously taxing in energy, and remarkably destructive. On top of that, there need to be certain special circumstances in place which sort of makes the different dimensions resonate with one another in order to create a bridge. I'm sorry, but if you want the more technical aspects you'll have to ask Lena."

"Lena?"

"Lex's daughter. I believe you met, briefly."

"The..."

"The bald woman, yes. Ever the keen-eyed." Lois smiled again. "She designed the machinery that brought you here, for the most part."

"How?" The single word was all Superman could muster at the load of information he'd just received. To that very moment, he still strained his minds and senses both, trying to wake from this strange dream, or at least to detect some manner of deception afoot.

"Yeah, well. Remember when I said it was my fault. I recalled something. Something from my past, which allowed us to try bringing you here."

"What was that?" Clark sat up.

"You remember when you were placing Plasmus inside the Phantom Zone?"

"Yes. It was just..."

"Yep. So did I. To the day."

"Did it have anything to do with..."

"It did. With you being here. Plasmus' body works like a battery, and the Phantom Zone device being used here as well as by you… Lena's father, Lex. He'd used Plasmus in a similar fashion in the past. Once I recalled when and where you and him would be."

"You used the knowledge to create a bridge between our Worlds."

"As well as fuel it, yes, where Pasmus is concerned. Within that particular point in time when we could use the Phantom Zone as a link. On top of it all, it was fortunate that the only two living beings close to the device were you and Krypto. Very few others could have survived the journey between dimensions."

"Is that why I'm so drained? Why I passed out."

"It is. Most of your energy has been sapped."

Superman shook his head. "Good thing you got me, I suppose."

"Really, we gambled on either or. Krypto was… Well, I guess you'll find he was more capable than you had him pegged for. In any case, like I said, I'm glad we got you." Lois tightened her hands around Clark's.

"Was?"

"Yes." Lois lowered her gaze. "You'll also come to find much is different in the future. Not for the best. I… Well, just to conclude. We dragged you here. The place where you arrived..."

"That crater. I remember that."

"Yes. That was where the Fortress used to be."

"What h… Nevermind." Superman looked up, staring at the Martian Manhunter. "Why? What for? If you need my help, what is it that you'd have me do that you couldn't do yourselves?"

"Now we're getting to the crux of it." Lois said. "First, I have to explain..."

"Oracle?" A middle-aged Black woman dressed in a lab coat opened the room's door, half stepping in while still holding to its frame.

"What is it, Natasha?"

"Your..." Natasha looked at Clark. "I mean, Superboy and Supergirl are here."

"Thanks. Tell them to wait, please. I'll call them inside in a moment."

"Oracle? Natasha? Natasha Irons?" Superman asked.

Lois gave a sad look. "Barbara's gone. I took on her role. After she… And yes, that was Natasha Irons. Our Steel now."

"Oh. I guess John..."

Lois shook her head.

"At least Connor and Kara..."

"They're gone, also. Superboy and Supergirl here are… Well, you'll meet them soon. For now, let me explain the situation here."

"Yes, sure. I'm sorry Lois. It's a lot to take in. To be honest I'm holding myself back from asking a hundred different questions."

"I know." Lois tightened her grip again. "If you don't mind, J'onn is going to help me explain things to you. Show you things, in your mind."

Once more, Clark looked up at the Martian. "Of course."

"J'onn." Lois nodded.

The Martian's eyes began to glow. "Forgive me if the process feels invasive." He said. "But it is faster to imprint memories and feeling into your mind, as Oracle speaks and I show you the images."

"Right." Lois began. "It all started not much after that day when you took Pasmus to the Fortress of Solitude."

As the woman began to speak, flashes of Superman's own memories played in front of his eyes. Amazed, he remained silent, listening, watching.

"Unbeknownst to anybody else..." Lois Continued. "The conflict between Apokolips and New Genesis had been heating up. At least, we assume it had. Either way, Darkseid declared open war on New Genesis. The battle, however, turned out to be surprisingly brief. Cutting through the forces of Apokolips, Orion managed to reach Darkseid and the two of them clashed."

Pictures of worlds torn asunder then came alive inside Clark's mind. The two halves, New Genesis and Apokolips, shattering and scattering as waves of energy flowed from the fight between them.

"It wasn't a normal fight, by all accounts. The power they displayed was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. In the end, however, Orion was victorious. Just like that, the might of Apokolips crumbled, when Darkseid was killed by his own son, as prophecies of old foretold he would someday do."

Superman saw the fallen, lifeless husk of the defeated God lie by Orion's feet.

"Everyone thought things would improve after that. Orion took over as the new Lord of Apokolips, and for a while, they did. Only for a while." Lois paused briefly, before continuing. "Before the piles of bodies were even cold, however, Orion rekindled the war, and using the strategic advantage he had from making use of the element of surprise, he crushed New Genesis in a swift and brutal fashion!"

His friends, Scott, Barda, all others… Clark saw them burning, bleeding, fighting and dying one by one, as the shadow of Orion loomed over!

"And then, that's when things really fell apart!" Lois went on. "Somehow… Orion, it seems, somehow had access to the Anti-Life Equation; whatever parts of it Darkseid knew at least. Maybe more even. Nobody knows how, Nobody knows why even did Orion turn so bad. But he did. Worse than Darkseid. Far worse! Even though the forces of Apokolips themselves had been decimated in the process of wiping out New Genesis he started to rebuild his empire, much quicker than any resistance could be raised anywhere, and in such a way nobody could have predicted. With the power of the Anti-Life Equation, He began to extend his will across the known universe, tethering minds everywhere to his will. Among the weak-minded, friend turned on friend, family on family. War, destruction, famine, plagues..."

Once more the images came, swirling from one to the next, showcasing the violence and suffering which ensued across the planet and far, far beyond!

"For some reason, Orion decided to act on the design his father thus far only dared to scheme. In a few years, more than half of all sapient life had been extinguished. Whatever had not fallen to his influence though, was soon to be brought under heel by his newly recruited generals."

Suddenly the pictures shifted again, a series of frames coming into clarity. Horrified, Superman recognized them even before their features could be seen. Kalibak looming over Earth, holding two monstrosities by a leash while threading through a wall of thorny brambles! Mongul razing one civilization after the next, traveling between them with the Warworld machine, each of his targets lacking the military might or technology to fight back. Despero driving forth an endless sea of mind-slaves! Brainiac's drones scattering across many galaxies, his eyes manyfold! Atrocitus chasing those who would resist his new master! Starro manipulating and controlling kings and peasants alike through the alien touch of his countless spawn! Even beyond the stars, Orion's hand reached; Trigon reigned over a mountain of skulls, the new lord of the hellish dimensions, though still a servant nonetheless. Finally, Mordru who acted as the hand of the New God in all things mystical! "Enough!" Clark shouted when feelings began to overwhelm him.

"You get it now."

Superman pulled his hand from Lois', covering his face. "Wha… What about..."

"Our heroes? The first targets of many. They fought bravely, but now few remain. Mostly of a new generation. The war with New Genesis was only the first Apokolips waged."

"The Green Lantern Corps?"

"Wiped out, along with the Guardians of the Universe. Only one ring remained. You wouldn't believe it but, Sinestro's on our side. Actually, we've had more than one unlikely ally, as you'll come to find. It wasn't all bad. Orion's victories did not come freely. As the best among us fell, we managed to take things from him. Although, I think those are stories best left for another time. I think you've heard and seen enough."

"I don't know. How is it that Earth stands, after all you've shown me?"

"The Justice League remains, if changed and reduced. Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing, has merged with the planet, turning its very surface into a living weapon against invaders. Atlantis also remains. Aquaman can no longer fight himself, but his people help protect what lingers of humanity. Also, as a parting gift, the Guardians of the Universe and the Corps left behind protective energy shields guarding many of the most densely inhabited solar systems from large scale invasions. Make no mistake though; we are on borrowed time here."

"I see. I understand." Superman said, no longer doubting the veracity of his situation, having had his mind injected by not only pictures and sounds, but memories and emotions concerning the events described. "But… What is it you'd have me do? Even at full power, I wouldn't add much to the overall battle. Do you want me to go back and… Prevent all this?"

"Smooth, Smallville." Lois smiled. "We can send you back, if that's what you want to know. But no, that's not what we need. It wouldn't work, to begin with. Sure, with the information we'll give you can return and probably prevent this course of events in your own timeline, but it would not change things here."

"What then?"

"The Anti-Life Equation." The Martian Manhunter spoke, breaking his silence for the first time. "It did more than spread havoc and death. Orion has effectively already won the war. Our reality itself has been corrupted. Everyone and everything from here."

"What do you mean? Are you implying that because I'm an outsider there's something special about me? Something I can do that nobody here could?" Superman asked.

"Pretty much." Lois confirmed. "The fact is, as J'onn said, when the Anti-Life Equation was used, even though it wasn't enough to reshape creation, or even to subjugate all minds, it still bound us all to him in such a way we cannot end him."

"You mean, nobody in this timeline can kill him?"

"It's more metaphysical than that." The Martian Manhunter replied. "Orion has meddled with enough of the fabric of our reality that he is simply a foundational part of our universe now. Whether he comes back to life, or whoever kills him takes his place and keeps up his work, it's hard to say. Whatever the case, we, natives of this timeline, can be rid of him by ourselves no more than a man can shoo away the Sun."

"How can you even know this? Have you beaten him before?"

"It's part of who we are. It's part of what keeps him on top. Us knowing the futility to fight back."

"Yeah, and I think he enjoys it; that we live with that knowledge. All you need to understand is, We can't excise him from our universe ourselves. Only someone unaffected by the influence of the Anti-Life Equation can deliver a finishing blow that would stick." Lois stated. "As it is, Orion's just playing a waiting game he's already won."

"Even if I can do what you ask." Clark said. "Even then, it's not a simple matter of walking up to Orion and finishing him off."

"We are well aware of that." The Martian Manhunter said. "His generals must be dealt with, as well as many of the lower-ranking threats."

"That's right." Lois agreed. "But there was no point in even trying to fight before you were here. Now though..."

Superman smiled solemnly, his hand reaching for Lois' again. "You know me far too well to know you don't even need to ask."

"Good. I believe it is time to take my leave then. As we are moving forward, preparations for what is to come will need to be taken." J'onn said while he walked towards the door. Just as he was about to leave the room, he turned, addressing Lois. "Should I..."

"Yes. Send them in, J'onn." Lois nodded, then going back to addressing Clark. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I'm afraid it's only the tip of the iceberg. As I told you, much of the fighting now is being done by a new generation..."

Time seemed to slow down when the pair of young heroes entered. Without Lois saying another word, Superman knew! All it took was a single glance! The man and the woman beside him were both dressed in the traditional colors and displayed the ancestral crest from the Kryptonian House of El. Both appeared to be in their early twenties and by their looks, they were evidently related, not simply to each other, but…

"Clark..." Lois spoke. "These are Jon and Lara. My… Our children."

All the many questions which still lingered in Superman's mind were suddenly wiped. Right then, he did not know what to think, let alone what to say. "Our..."

"Yes. Before you; the other you… Passed. He and I, we were a complete family."

For their part, this World's versions of Superboy and Supergirl both stood silently, as wide-eyed and scared at the man who stared back at them. Their father-to-be from another time and place.

"Come on, you two." Lois beckoned, pulling the pair of youngster's hands so they would reach and touch Clark's.

"I… I have so much to ask." Superman said, his voice injected with as much euphoria as it was with dread, though he tried his best to restrain the feelings.

"I know." The girl, Lara, broke the silence.

"So do we." Jon added.

"Then you all best start talking to each other already. We'll need to act soon." Lois interjected, feigning professionalism as best she could, though she could not help smiling, in-between wiping the mounting wetness which built up in her eyes.

…

05 - "KERNEL"

"Is anything amiss? You keep looking around nervously. I don't believe anyone else will come here this late if that's the issue. Look, even the kitchen has closed." Wonder Woman pointed back at the familiar café which often housed the pair of heroines in unusual hours. Inside, the owner had just turned off the last light.

"Yeah, I know. I guess I'm a little weirded out how we get to stay here by ourselves. Plus it's windy and cold, and the mountains look a little eerie this time of year." Power Girl replied, rubbing her arms.

"Such complaining. You're the one who called me."

"Yeah, but I told you it was just to hang out and grab a bite. You chose to come to this place."

"It's our regular spot. It seemed fitting. Besides, if by chance we are to talk about anything more personal..."

"No, I got nothing on that front, if that's what you're asking."

"Business then? I had assumed we're all up to date with our mutual work, both in and out of League related issues."

"We are. Like I said, I had nothing better to do and, well… Looks like neither do you. I figured we could use a little break just by ourselves."

"In that case, I can appreciate the moment of respite."

"Heh. You mean from work, I presume." Karen made the implication, figuring it might trigger the Amazon in bringing up the subject she wanted to discuss. 

"Certainly. I do understand what you're saying, however. Krypto too can be tiring, although in a very different way. Sadly, he was unavailable so, here I am."

"Good to know I'm always the dog's second fiddle. Feels great."

"I hope you don't take it personally. But you know how close he and I are."

"Yep. Don't even remind me. So no fun time tonight then? Stuck with me, are ya?"

"Hopefully he'll meet me at the Dome later. Fingers crossed, as they say."

"You know… I can't even blame you anymore. I mean, I can, but… I get it. You two have come this far without a hitch and the… Stuff is really good. So… Have a good one, I say."

Diana sighed. "The stuff is good, indeed! Although..."

"What?"

"I… I'm sure it's nothing."

"No, no. If you got anything on your mind… This looks like as good a time and place as any. You just said it yourself, remember?"

Once again, Wonder woman sighed. "You're right. I didn't really think this was worth bringing up, but as long as we're here, I suppose I could tell you."

"Tell me? Tell me what?"

"There's this thing. Some days ago; well for a little while in truth, I had been feeling a little funny. A little sick maybe, or so I thought."

"So? Nothing serious, I hope."

"I suppose not. More so unusual. I happened upon Barbara at the Watchtower, and she ran some tests. It looks as though I am, or my body is rather, ovulating."

"Hum. By the way you said it, I'm gonna go ahead and assume that's not supposed to be happening."

"I don't know what I'm supposed or not to do. I'm made from Divine essence. As you can imagine, my physiology is not normative, nor comparable to that."

"Kinda like how you always smell nice and don't need to shave. Or how you don't sweat."

"Oh, I sweat quite a bit!"

"Other than when you're with Krypto?"

"Certainly. I simply require the right amount of strain."

"I'm sure you do. Back to your point though, are you thinking this ovulating thing is related to the dog? You know, him… Straining you so much?"

"That's the obvious assumption, I think."

"Oh, so does that mean you're finally considering the relationship might not be so… Harmless, after all?"

"Oh no, I don't mean to say… Well, you made the implication once before, but I think we both know it's not possible for him to… To… You know."

"Are you sure about that?"

"If you'll forgive my bluntness Karen, Krypto and I have been together for nearly a year now. We've shared a bed hundreds of times, and that many more hours over. I must have received dozens of gallons of his seed. If anything could have happened, it would have."

"Wow. That was some visual. But you weren't ovulating through any of that though, were you?"

"No. Still, I'm convinced he and I are not compatible as such. That doesn't make me any less vexed about this new development, however."

Karen thought for a moment, considering that, much as Oracle had predicted, the Amazon had, on her own accord, brought up the subject she meant to address. Despite that, it was probably best not to push into it too much and risk bringing the conversation to a close. If she knew Diana, she could count on her opening up completely. Not right then, most likely, but certainly at some point. "What about before? You know, when you were talking about some problems you had, with how intense this involvement felt. Has that mellowed out, or what?"

"Not really. It's not so much that things have calmed down. It's more like we've been acclimating to it. Me, mostly." Diana smiled, playing with her hair, sipping on hot tea. "We've been experimenting with the lasso, now and again."

"Are you joking? The way you said it… I watched you almost have a heart attack when you were in the Queen of Fable's world. And you didn't even get to finish there."

"I know. I understand it seems unreasonable, or at least too fast, but that experience strengthened our bond. I was afraid of how intensely we connect when we get intimate, but seeing as that turned out to be the very thing that saved us all back then, I figured it shouldn't be something to fear. Besides, now that we're over the hurdle, I quite enjoy it. I only wish we did not have to go from one hurdle right into another."

"Isn't that to be expected from any real relationship?" Power Girl said, though her mind was quick to interject. "Real relationship?! What the hell am I saying?!" She thought, shaking her head slightly. "What I meant was..." She continued. "Shouldn't you at least consider taking a bit of a break? Let things work themselves out a little. Sort your thoughts and priorities. You know."

"I often take it into consideration. Krypto makes a strong counter-argument, however. I have to be honest with myself in the end. I don't want to give him up. Besides, the longer I'd manage to be away from him, the more my mind would be haunted by thoughts of being with him again. A break is not the way to sort my thoughts, I can say that much for certain." Diana sighed. "People have dubbed me Wonder Woman. To them, as to the Goddesses who crafted me from their essence, I am to epitomize the meaning of the latter term through the former. Fittingly, as a woman, I've never felt anywhere near as wonderful as when Krypto takes the role of my male counterpart."

"You mean when he's stuffing you with enough meat to feed a family."

"That's a way to say it, I suppose, if a little uncouth. What I'm trying to communicate, however, is that despite the overwhelming nature of the carnal side of things, there's more to this tie between us."

"Tie, huh? Have you considered you're just blowing the sex stuff way out of proportion?"

"Certainly I have. It was the first thought that came to mind when I first realized my unwillingness to let him go. I know it in my soul though, there has to be something more, something bigger to it all. I realize how this sounds, and I wish I could impart to you how it is between us, but it would be like trying to describe the color blue to someone who was born blind."

"This is going nowhere." Karen thought. "Don't you see? The way you speak… It wasn't too long ago you were terrified to even speak of this thing; this… Connection between you and Krypto, as you call it. Now when you talk about it, you seem almost giddy. From where I'm sittin' it looks a little worrying, you know? Alright, so I can't not admit to the fact that at least once, your coupling worked out in everyone's favor. But let's do a little thought experiment. Since you don't want to take a break from it, what's the worst thing you can tell me about this affair?" She asked, contemplating a different tactic.

"I don't understand how this would be of any help."

"Come on Diana, humor me. Let's hear it."

Wonder Woman frowned, pensive. "Well… Sometimes… Sometimes I think it would be convenient; fun even; if my encounters with Krypto weren't always so intense. I wish we could get intimate in hiding, quickly and relatively quietly, you know?" Diana's face reddened. "I fantasize about us doing it in public places, with the risk of getting caught as an added bit of spice. It's very exciting. Such as it is, however, neither of us can keep from being loud and destructive, and briefness is completely out of the equation."

Power Girl raised an eyebrow, in complete disbelief. "So, lemme get this straight. Your biggest complaint about Krypto is that he's too good in the sack, and that's only a problem because it prevents you from having even more sex in different ways?!"

"I hadn't thought of it that way, but I think you could say that, yes."

"Wow! You are just unbelievable. To top it off, you manage to talk about this stuff with this inexplicable air of innocence."

"You asked."

"And one of these days, I'll learn to know better than to do that." Karen shook her head. "Still, don't you ever miss, I dunno, like doing regular people stuff?"

"I'd be lying if I said no. It would be great to discuss a book or argue philosophy at some time. It's just, in that regard, there's nothing really I can't have with friends, present company included."

"Nothing. Except for a family." Power Girl thought though she dared not say it right then.

"Of course, he can more than overcompensate in his role as a lover."

Pushing her hair back with a hand, Karen sighed. "I wish I could protest that one."

"Speak of the devil!" Diana's eyes lit up. She reached for her League communicator, as it reverberated with a particular pattern of beeps.

"Really? Krypto can booty call you now?"

"And I him. We've set up a two-way code to let us know when we're free to meet at the Dome."

"So, you're..."

"Going. I'm afraid so. I apologize, but I must go."

"You want to go, is more like it."

Standing, Wonder Woman replied, beaming. "You can't blame me. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, yeah… Have fun."

"I always do."

"I'll be damned!" Karen uttered, watching as the Amazon Princess hurried away whilst ever maintaining an expression of pure joy. "The worst thing is, I half envy the bitch." She said, although the last word was spoken more so as a descriptive term than a pejorative. "Well, at least tomorrow's breakfast is covered." She looked down at the table, which was still filled with piles of food. "Welp, I'll make certain none of that's going to waste, that's for sure. Sigh… May as well have stopped the conversation here anyway. Not much of a point in arguing anything else when Krypto's about to plow every ounce of reason out of Diana's mind." she shook her head. "Maybe I'll go and take a quick peek at the Dome, after dropping this grub back home." Power Girl mused.

…

06 - "COUP"

The facility, whatever, or wherever it was, felt remarkably similar to walk through as the old Watchtower. Most of it was made of metal, and technologically advanced contraptions used to control the environment could be seen all around. Having spent the whole of the last day recovering his strength, Superman could feel his vigor returning ever since he took the first step on his own, leaving behind the bed whereon his body may have rested, but his mind did not. While still not at full power, it should not take long until he recharged completely, at least if the past day could be taken as a reference point. Little relief did the thought bring, however, considering the ongoing circumstances.

"Alright, I know I've explained many things to you yesterday, but there's only so much time to talk." The local version of Lois Lane stated, walking through the corridors beside the man, guiding him, always looking ahead.

"I assume that observation implies there will be a few surprises during the meeting." Superman inferred.

"You could say so."

"Any heads up?"

"You're probably going to find a few familiar faces among the crowd."

"Yeah? Isn't that a good thing?"

"Depends on how you look at it. Seeing certain individuals in certain, particular positions is bound to be a little jarring to you."

"Like who?"

"Well..."

"Come on, Lois. I rather not find out at the time, if it's something bad."

"Fine. No gasps of indignation though. You were warned. For one, Amanda Waller will be there."

"Waller? Really?"

"If you mean to ask whether she's still alive, she is, and she's in charge of North America."

"You're saying… Waller is President?"

"Only in so far as there still is such a thing."

"What about the rest of the world?"

"That's what I'm talking about. We'll be gathering with a bunch of world leaders, among others, and you'll see the state of the planet is a lot more different than whatever you'd expect."

"Some things never change." Clark smiled. "You avoided answering my question."

"Right. Sorry. I guess old habits do die hard. Speaking of dying hard though, you remember Vandal Savage?"

"I wish I could say I didn't."

"No, no… Actually, he's been pretty good at helping. Leading."

"Leading?"

"He's pretty much King of Europe."

"I… I guess I shouldn't judge, considering my not knowing this future; what led to it. It's just..."

"I know. Also, though we're talking about countries and continents, the face of the planet has changed significantly. Most of the remaining populations are gathered around large city-states which control larger independent areas around them. Gotham, for instance, is its own autonomous territory now."

"If that's the case, then who..."

"Ra's- Al-Ghul."

"You can't be serious. Has every territory been taken over by a criminal?"

"Remember, things have changed. The League of Assassins is gone, and what remained of it took over responsibility for the Gotham region after the war against the forces of Apokolips simmered down. All things considered, it has paid off to have a ruler with several hundred years of ruling under his belt. It isn't all reformed bad guys though."

"Who else then?"

"Well, there's Aquaman. Sort of."

"Arthur? Yes, you mentioned him yesterday. So Atlantis still stands? It'll be nice to meet another familiar face."

"Not so fast, Clark. Aquaman, well Arthur, he… I don't know how else to say it, but his soul; his mind, maybe, it merged with Earth's oceans and rivers."

"What are you saying? Is he dead also, then?"

"I don't know if the word applies. His presence protects the planet, and what remains of the Atlantean people have taken to worship him as a manner of God. Something similar happened with Alec Holland. You remember him, right? The Swamp Thing."

"You also said something about him yesterday. I met him a few times, yes. So he protects the land then? As Arthur does the waters."

"Yes. Although because of it, much of the planet's surface has been reclaimed by an enhanced and deeply hostile wild. Plants, animals, and even the landscape itself all act to repel intruders, and there are many places where human beings might be considered just that."

Superman stopped walking for a moment, touching his forehead. "I'm sorry. I feel as if I didn't ask enough questions yesterday."

"I'll let it slide. After all, you had other things in your mind."

"That I did. It was all a little too overwhelming. It's not every day you get to meet your own unborn children." Clark looked away, doing his best to suppress a smile. "I didn't think we… That you and I could..."

"Neither did I. Yet it happened, and our lives were better for it, at least for as long as we got to be a family. Stranger things have happened." Lois smiled as well, though her expression was full of anguish. "I've never been more glad, nor more proud to do anything other than raising our kids."

"Sorry to dig up painful memories. And… I know it may be a lot to ask and… I realize that's not what I'm here for, but… Do you think I could spend some more time with Jon and Lara? Before I go back to my own time? You think… They'd like that?"

"I'm sure they would. Hopefully, there will be time."

"So..." Superman resumed his pacing. "What else do you think I should know about? Who should I expect to meet today?"

"Let's see… You've met J'onn, of course. He's still handling superhuman affairs, much like he did back in your day. He just has to be a little more active now, since most heroes are gone. There's Lena; Lex' daughter, whom you've met briefly, I think. She's one of the designers for the machinery that brought you here, although much of the technology was scavenged from stuff from alien worlds. I told you that, right?"

"I figured something Kryptonian had to be used since you mentioned the Phantom Zone tech was involved somehow. What about the other stuff then? There must be allies outside Earth."

"A loose network of them, yes. Though communication is a problem since everything is monitored. Which I guess is a good time to say, hopefully, we'll also be talking to Vril Dox during the meeting."

"Brainiac's clone?"

"Yes. He's our main guy out there in space. Also helped with bringing you here, in several ways."

"I see. Anyone else? Anything else?"

"Well, best keep the information dosage homeopathic for the moment. I think I've covered the main stuff for now. Of course, there are other, old and new faces. We're not the only ones who had children."

"Hum. Now that you mention it; I think I was a little out of it when I first arrived. Probably my mind was scrambled from the time-space dimensional shift. But I could swear I saw someone who looked just like..."

"Later, Smallville. We're here." Lois said, pointing to a large double door made of polished metal. "Time to get you up to speed concerning the plans for the near future."

When he stepped into the meeting hall, it was that much more obvious the place had been modeled after the inside the old Justice League Watchtower; a place, Superman was told, no longer existed. There was a large round table in the center, around which a dozen or so people could be, and indeed were, seated. The ceiling was low, and computers and monitors circled the slab, both on it, and over the walls around, their combined, colorful lights providing most of the illumination therein.

"Superman. Welcome. I trust you are well recovered." The Martian Manhunter stood, pointing towards a vacant seat which had evidently been pre-selected for the Kryptonian man.

"Thanks, J'onn." Superman said, taking his place. Upon seating, it was as if the faces of the people already settled had become noticeable for the first time. Some were easily recognizable, while others were merely familiar.

"It looks like him, I'll give you that." Ra's-Al-Ghul stated, studying the caped hero.

"It's him." A low-pitched baritone voice stated.

Clark was taken aback for a moment. It looked as if his mind had not, after all, played tricks on him when first arriving. Occupying one of the seats was a powerfully built man, if it could be called a man. From the neck up, one might have had him confused with the Super-dog, if for shorter, pointy ears. His hands were, like his head, covered with short, white fur, and they sported dark claws and pads. He dressed similarly to Superboy and Supergirl, though his attire showcased more details and emblems. 

"Suppose there's no arguing against that snout." Vandal Savage remarked. 

"So, you have an outsider. Now what?" Amanda Waller spoke up.

Though Ghul and Savage were both unchanged from how they appeared decades before, the woman was markedly aged; ravaged not only by the unforgiving chisel of time, but bearing the toll of heavy responsibility. It was odd to feel it towards this woman in particular, but with one look, Superman empathized with the once-unflappable Wall. 

"Not any outsider. Superman!" Jon Kent, this world's Superboy remarked.

"Now that he's here, we can strike back and it won't be in vain." Lara Kent agreed, adjusting her shoulder-length dark hair so it would rest behind her ears, lending Supergirl's weight to her brother's words.

"Strike? Strike when and where?" A man donning a distinctly shaped cowl asked. "As far as I'm concerned, bringing him here was the easy part, and nothing but an unreasonable risk thus far." 

"Easy, mister Wayne?" Lena Luthor interjected. "Could you even begin to conceive any part of it? Perhaps you should stick to beating up thugs in dark alleys and leave science and engineering to the rest of us."

"The boy has a point." Ra's-Al-Ghul said.

"What's so funny?" The cowled man asked when a woman who sat beside him, bearing a similar-looking attire chuckled.

"You have to admit. It's a little amusing seeing Batman in need of his grandfather to defend him."

"Wayne? Grandfather?" Superman asked out loud, barely conscious the had words left his mouth.

"Yes, mister Kent. This is my grandson, Damian, who took on his father's mantle, and is to take mine one day if the Gods are willing. The girl beside him is his half-sister. One of a lesser lineage, as you can see." Ra's stated.

"Helena. Not the one you used to know, of course. But you can call me Catwoman." The woman said, offering her hand.

"Oh. Yes." Superman greeted. Upon a second glance the features which made up the young woman's face behind a stylish, short haircut, should have been apparent from the start.

"Enough banter. We need to address the topic at hand." Lena Luthor interjected.

"Which is?" Amanda Waller asked. "You've had the idea of bringing someone powerful enough, as well as willing to fight for us from outside our timeline for years now. It's a feat you seem to have managed to achieve somehow, but now what? This isn't simply a matter of walking Superman up to Orion and have them fight."

"Waller has a point." The Martian Manhunter spoke. "Perhaps now that the first stage of your design has been accomplished, it is time to enlighten the rest of us concerning what comes next, Ms. Luthor."

"Right. Luckily, I've been much ahead of you all along." Lena Luthor said, smirking. "Are we ready, Natasha?"

"I'm just waiting for him." Natasha Irons replied, fiddling with one of the monitors, positioning it on an edge of the table so as all who sat around it could see.

"Him?" Ra's-Al-Ghul inquired.

"Ah! Dox!" Vandal Savage said.

"I don't trust that green bastard. He's a sociopath." Damian Wayne remarked.

"I like him." Catwoman said.

"You would."

"Besides, you don't trust anyone."

"Everyone be quiet. I think the call is coming through." Lois Lane pointed at the monitor when the screen began to flicker.

"You sure the line is secure?" Waller asked.

"Positive. We've been working on it, and with it, for a long time now."

"Putting us all at risk in the meantime."

"See? Right there! That's why we work in secret. That whining." Lena Luthor stated.

"Am I on? Can you hear me?" Vril Dox II asked, his image coming live, becoming clear a few seconds after his voice first echoed.

It was odd to look at that face, Superman thought. The clone, would-be son of his old enemy, there aged like the others. Beyond it, although much was left unspoken, the implication behind the demise of many of his old friends and peers was plain. Connor, Bruce, Selina; how many more? How did each of them meet their end? How did himself in this world's past? Perhaps it was best not to ask; not at the moment, at least.

"We see and hear you just fine." Lois Lane said.

"Ah. Thank you, Oracle. Same here, and I see Superman is indeed among you. Not to be rude, but I half-expected it to be another one of your not-quite-truths when you told me you attempted the interdimensional… Let's call it filching." Vril Dox replied.

"You wound me, Mr. Dox. I wouldn't lie to you."

"Rich. Considering you just did."

"Enough chatter." Ra's-Al-Ghul cut in. "You've got the Kryptonian, from a time and place before Orion's rule. What are we discussing here then?"

"What else? Strategy." Vril Dox stated. "Pieces have been positioned around the board for a very long time, all in wait for the moment to start playing. Of course, as you all know there was no point in doing so until we had a victory condition on our side of the board if you will, but now… Now, we have it."

"I assume you mean you have a way to deal with Orion's generals." Vandal Savage remarked.

"Precisely. After all, each of them is just as bad as the big boss himself. Arguably, Orion's leash around their neck prevents them from doing as much damage as they can. In any case, we'll have to organize a multi-pronged attack. Everyone needs to be hit right around the same time we go for the killing blow."

"Easy to say, hard to do."

"Quite so. But hard or not, we have to do it. Just as soon as anything out of the ordinary happens, Orion will have his generals razing one world after another without mercy. We absolutely must have contingency measures in place. Earth may still have its share of super-powered defenders, but most other places are not so lucky."

"Leaving Earth will be an issue already." The Martian Manhunter said. "Kalibak patrols the solar system, and he's not alone."

"That's correct. I'm sorry to say, but there won't be any other way to do this without one big fight; or several, to be precise. We have to muscle the way past Kalibak."

"That will immediately trigger a response." Amanda Waller said.

"I know. We should be prepared to take quick action then. As soon as Kalibak is taken care of, we need to have people ready to deal with the others."

"How do you propose we do that?" Superman asked. "I may be here to help, but none of you can possibly expect me to deal with all the individual criminal's you've shown me. Even if I could, there's no way to do it in quick succession."

"You'll be troubling yourself with Orion." Dox replied. "The others… I have a few ideas."

"Let's hear it then." Lois said.

"Right. Just a second… Here we are." Dox' screen went black for a second, before it lit back up with a series of pictures, displaying images no doubt acquired through the use of espionage. "First off..."

A picture of Kalibak showed on the screen. Averse to seeing his old enemy stood while so many allies had fallen, Superman still flinched when witnessing what had to be the result of the conflict between Orion's forces and the heroes resisting them impressed so harshly upon the New God's figure. Much of his face was missing, as was one hand, and what looked like part of his chest. What remained whole was in no better-looking state, however, with old scars making his skin look like a road map.

"Kalibak." Vril Dox stated. "Currently somewhere around Titan, where his base in this solar system resides. Ready to deploy against Earth as soon as ordered, or if the case may be, as soon as needed. All things considered, he's the least threatening of Orion's generals. The dumbest too. Of course..."

The image changed, showcasing a pair of rampaging creatures. As the picture quality improved and zoomed in, Superman was terrified to recognize just who these creatures were.

"Bizarro and Doomsday. The muscle. Well, the extra muscle." Dox' voice went on, showcasing the pair of grotesque beings who wore strange-looking collars around their necks. "These two will have to be dealt with, of course. I can't help with the fighting, but I've managed to hack into Apokolips' communication system, and I can get you to fight him without Homebase getting warning of it."

"How so?" Amanda Waller asked.

"By sending Kalibak a fake order to attack. While he does the deed, I can make sure no word gets out of what's happening in this corner of the galaxy. Then you do what needs to be done. With luck, I'm pretty sure I can convince Kalibak to divide his forces."

"Are you mad?" Vandal Savage protested. "You have any idea of the degree of destruction a fight against those three may cause Earth?"

"Sure. Then again, it's not my problem. Plus, it's not as if there's another, viable alternative. The order has to be convincing; he has to come to you. Also, I need him gone from his post to meddle with communications. If he gets the chance to interfere before I'm done, it's all over."

"If we can get them separated. If. How do we do this?" Lois asked.

"Well, as I said before, this is a multi-pronged approach, so it's not a simple matter of sending everyone to fight. By my math, the best chance we get is to send out teams against some of the other generals, just as soon as Kalibak start heading to Earth."

"Am I right to assume you've thought of suggestions for such teams?"

"That's why I like you, Oracle. Always a step ahead of your friends there. Yes." Dox said as the image changed again.

"Despero?" Superman thought, seeing the alien despot sitting atop a golden throne.

"Despero. One of the worst." Vril Dox continued. "Unfortunately, the options are limited here."

"I understand." The Martian Manhunter spoke.

"Good. Saves us some time. Martian Manhunter and Plasticman are the only two who can withstand Despero's psychic powers, so that's where they need to be. He's on old Oa, and luckily there are barely any troops with him."

"The fight will not be easy. Whether Despero is alone or not."

"Again, my fellow green friend; not my problem. I can provide you passage to Oa, and that's that."

"I see. In that case, I shall contact mister O'Brian and let him know to get ready."

"Now for some good news. For you at least. There are three others in space. Mongul on Warworld, Atrocitus, on what used to be Thanagar, and my dear old father, Brainiac, aboard his Moon-ship. As it happens, I've already arranged the means to deal with those."

"Means?" Ra's-Al-Ghul asked.

"I've gathered a crew of specialists. By the time you start fighting, I'll be on my way to meet them, and from there, we'll strike all three at once."

"Are you sure about this course of action?"

Vril Dox chuckled. "Are you stupid? Of course not! It's simply the best, last chance we'll get. Now, if I may continue..." The pictures changed once more, showcasing a screen divided with one imposing figure on each side. "These two, I'm gonna need you guys to help me with."

"Mordru and Trigon." Vandal Savage remarked. "We'll need magic to counter them."

"Right. A rare commodity all across the cosmos nowadays, I'm afraid. Of course, you people can call on..."

"Doctor Fate has not been seen ever since the mantle passed on, and Shazam has likewise lived in isolation since the Marvel family was wiped out." Martian Manhunter said. "I do not know that either can be relied upon."

"Out of my hands. But if you all want to risk starting the attack without addressing these two..."

"No." Vandal Savage interjected. "We'll find them. Convince them."

"You do that. Now, lastly… The big man himself!"

Once more Superman flinched. With the way everyone spoke of Orion, and how much of a menace he'd become, Superman could never have expected to behold such a pathetic figure. Orion looked much like his brother; an eye was missing, along with half his face. Likewise, the right arm was gone below the elbow.

"I don't need to tell you where he is. I also don't need to tell you that if you manage to take out Kalibak and his pets, you'll have a free path towards Orion. For whatever reason, the planet is all but empty now. Maybe he figures he's already won and is just waiting for the universe to die off, which might have been true up until now. Either way, there it is."

"Are you serious? Aren't you missing someone?" Damian Wayne said after a few seconds of silence passed.

"Yes, Starro, I know. Unfortunately, it seems nobody knows where he is. Sorry."

"Sorry? Starro's agents are scattered everywhere! God only knows the havoc he can create if he gets the chance to react."

"I know, believe me, I do. But this one eluded any attempt at finding him. You all know capturing one of his drones would only alert the entire hive-mind. Best I can guess is, maybe one of the other generals know where he is."

"That's hardly comforting isn't it, dipshit? Why don't you do your homework properly before..."

"Calm down, Damian." Catwoman said, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"How long? How much time do we have to prepare?" Lois Lane asked.

"A day at most. I've had to come all the way close to your solar system to make this call possible. I need to get back and put things in motion though, otherwise, it will all fall apart. I can only stay that long. If you don't call on me until then, I'll head back and call the whole operation off."

"Very well."

"What?!" Amanda Waller protested. "Very well?! Nothing's well! This is..."

"Amanda, there's no point in wasting any more time discussing here. The plan won't get any better for it. This is our chance. We need to take it while we can, even if it's slim."

"Oracle is correct." The Martian Manhunter said.

"She is, but things are not so simple as mister Dox made out to be. When Kalibak comes, it's not just about fighting him. We'll need people to hold off the Parademons, as well as protect the people." Ra's-Al-Ghul observed.

"We'll send as many soldiers we can, but..." Vandal Savage stated, with Amanda Waller nodding in agreement.

"What about the Amazons?" Lois Lane asked.

To Superman's surprise, upon hearing his wife's question, the entire table turned towards the humanoid who looked like Krypto. "I'll see to it." He replied nodding, leaving Clark wondering that much more as to who he could be. The man looked like his old pet, so why the apparent link to the nation of female warriors?

"Well, it looks like you're all on board then. Good. I'm sure you have much to discuss and do. That being the case, I'll be going." Vril Dox said. "I'll be waiting for your message. Remember, one day. No longer."

"What of the Amazon Queen?" Natasha Irons asked, once again causing all eyes to fall onto the canine humanoid.

"She'll help, I'm sure." The dog man stated.

"Maybe you can get Karen to convince her if she doesn't want to come."

"I don't believe it will be necessary."

"Amazon Queen? Hippolyta? What about Diana? How does Karen feature into this, and where is she now?" Superman thought, though he held his tongue, still considering it was not the time for such questions.

"Good to hear." Savage remarked, standing. "I'm sorry, but if we are to do this, time is of the essence. I need to gather with as many World leaders as possible, and get defenses organized." At those words, both Amanda Waller and Ra-s-Al-Ghul stood as well.

"You'll need my help. I don't have much, but my technology beats yours any day." Lena Luthor remarked.

"Come along then." Amanda Waller said.

"Are you coming?" Lena added, tuning towards Natasha.

"I think… I think I can help more with the fight if..."

"Good luck." Lena nodded, placing a hand over the other woman's shoulder, holding a pain-stricken smile. Lowering her head, she turned to leave.

"We need to design a few strategies if we're really expecting a fight." Damian said. "Some of us can take punches from the likes of Kalibak, but others have to play it smart to survive."

"One thing's for sure. Only one of us can go toe to toe with Doomsday." Supergirl said.

Hearing his future daughter's words, Superman expected the people in the room to acknowledge him, but once again, they all looked at the canine man, who nodded, resigned at the role he was expected to play. "Who is he?" Clark pondered, yet again.

"You two are with me, Natasha, Damian, and Helena" Lois Lane addressed her children. "We'll work out a battle stratagem."

"You do that." Martian Manhunter said, taking a step towards the woman and her offspring. "I am sorry to ask, considering you might want to spend the time together, but I believe it necessary I borrow Superman in that interim."

"What? Why?" Clark asked.

"Remember what Vril Dox said. There are people in need of convincing if they are to help us. I need you to come with me. If they see you, they might also see the possibility of victory. They might agree to aid in the fight."

"You mean Doctor Fate?"

"And the wizard Shazam, yes."

"I… Yes. sure."

"Very well. Feel free to wait in the cafeteria. I must fetch others who will accompany us. Should be a few minutes only, but you may want to have something to eat or drink in the meantime."

"Everyone, wait." Lois called out. "We meet here within twenty-four hours, alright? If you can come sooner, do it, but otherwise, make sure to come before a full day has passed."

"We shall." Martian Manhunter said, prompting the others to make gestures of agreement, before moving to leave the room once more.

As the chamber emptied, Superman felt a hand wrapping around his. "Lois?" He asked, looking down at the aged former reporter.

"We'll see you later, alright?"

"Sure, Lois. I'll see you all later."

…

Having been pointed the way towards the cafeteria after leaving the meeting hall, Superman was further impressed upon the notion this building had been modeled after the League's Watchtower. Upon entering the refectory, it was hard to believe he was in a different place, so similar everything looked. "Maybe the same person designed this place also." He mumbled, browsing through the many glassy cabinets which housed food, foraging for a slice of apple pie. Before he located that particular bit of food though, his eye caught the particular frame of another denizen inside that large, cold room, sitting on a corner, having a snack of its own. More curious than hungry, Clark grabbed whatever was at hand; some pecan-flavored sweet, before moving to approach the occupied table. "Excuse me. Hello." He greeted.

"Oh. Hi uncle C… I mean, Mister Kent." The dog-man said, standing and bowing slightly in a polite gesture. He was taller than Superman a couple of inches or so and had an equally powerful, if slightly leaner build.

"Yes. You mind if I..." Clark pointed at a chair by that same table.

"Please."

"We haven't been formally introduced. You carried me here, didn't you? From the ruins of the Fortress of Solitude." Superman asked as he sat, noting the golden shine of the crest from the Kryptonian House of El, which hung about the creature's chest.

"I did, yes. I'm sorry if it was a bit of a rough flight. Around here, there's always the concern of being watched."

"Don't worry about it. So, May I ask your name?"

"Ah, yes. I apologize. I am known for my absent-mindedness. My name is Cailean."

Though it was obvious the spelling was much different, it was odd that the creature's name sounded somewhat similar to his own Kryptonian moniker, Superman considered. "Nice to meet you, Cailean." He said, shaking the other man's hand, feeling the unmistakable touch of dog-like pads and fur. As he did so, he also remarked upon a second crest; one worn by the Amazons of Paradise Island, adorning the canine's collarbone, over the colorful attire he wore. Likewise, around his left wrist, there shone a familiar-looking silver bracelet. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry, but… Well, you did call me uncle, and I was wondering if, perhaps your father..."

Cailean nodded. "Krypto was my father, yes."

The question itself was all but rhetorical. This… Man; he looked so much like the Super-dog it was uncanny; at least his visage did. That face, however, was marked, if vaguely, with an added degree of humanity, an extended range of expressions. There was then, of course, one other, obvious question left to ask. "Oh. Again, I don't mean to pry, but, If Krypto was your father then who..."

Raising his head high from the plate Cailean gave a smirk, full of amusement, but oddly warm, oddly familiar and lacking any malice. With the smallest of motions, he tapped the metal band around his left wrist over the table's edge, producing a faint noise. "Can you not tell?"

…

07 - "PHILIA"

"There we go, all dried up." Wonder Woman remarked when she and the Super-dog landed on the garden area which faced her bedroom, after a few rounds flying around the Wonderdome. "Beats using towels, doesn't it? I think the cold wind is good for my hair also."

Krypto barked, shaking himself from the final remnants of water still lingering from the bath he and the Amazon had just taken together.

"I have to drop by the Watchtower, deliver some paperwork. Then it's a full day's worth of diplomatic work to do." Diana said, addressing the canine. "Are you coming with? To the Tower, at least?"

Once again Krypto barked, darting inside the woman's chambers ahead of her.

"I guess that's a yes. So, will you just be patrolling the city all day, seeing if anyone needs help? It's been a while since we've done that together. Maybe next time I don't have embassy related work we can..." Just as she first stepped inside, Wonder Woman was surprised to find her attire neatly stretched over the bed, the Super-dog standing by it, wagging his tail. "Oh. I see you've picked my clothes for the day." She scratched his head. "Thank you, stud. You like the skirt, do you?" She smiled, picking up the blue and white leather piece by the pteruges. 

Krypto tilted his head, eyes glinting with prankishness.

"By the way, I've washed some of your capes. Let me get dressed and I'll help you put one on, then we can go."

…

***The Watchtower***

...

"What are you doing?" Wonder Woman giggled, as Krypto poked her with his cold nose, prodding her to walk through the Watchtower's metal corridors.

Having just gotten out of a meeting with the Martian Manhunter, the Amazon Princess had figured it best to head to Earth and get started with her diplomatic work as soon as possible; the intent being to be able to get back home early. The Super-dog, however, who'd accompanied her thus far, appeared to have come up with a quick detour for her. Using his snout, he directed the woman who was as delighted in following his instructions, as she was curious to see what he wanted.

"Where are you taking me? Is this another one of your surprises?" Diana asked, going along with Krypto's directions. "Alright, you have me intrigued."

As the odd pair went, going down one store after another, they reached the Tower's storage area, passing by organized piles of stacked crates and labeled stockroom doors. Upon reaching a dark corner, they faced the entrance to the small room reserved for the strongest, not so often used, cleaning materials.

"Why are we… Ah!" Suddenly, Wonder Woman gasped! Before she could inquire as to why Krypto had led her all the way to this place, the canine shoved her inside the little chamber with one powerful poke. The door, she found, had been previously unlocked; when she tried using it for support, it flung open, slamming against the wall as she and dog tumbled in. "Krypto, you're not thinking we'll… Oh! Ah!" She squealed once more, feeling the canine's snout reach between her legs. "Wait!"

Though the female protested, she did it with a tone Krypto knew to be little more than begging for help in making her transgress. Using his teeth, he tore away the cloth which kept him from his rightful plunder!

"No!" Diana shouted when her panties were violently removed, even though an arm reached to slam the door shut as she did. "You bad, bad boy! Is that why you wanted me in a skirt today? How long you've been planning to… Ah! We can't! Not… Oh! Not here! Ah!"

Unphased by the Amazon's words, Krypto's tongue went to work, spreading her pink lips, moistening and penetrating, making her squirm with pleasure, moaning loudly as he tasted her further and deeper by the lap!

"Krypt...Oh!" Wonder Woman shook her head, trying her hardest not to scream. She could tell mere seconds separated her from an orgasm, and there was no way of stopping it! As much as she craved that climax though, she worried about her inability to stop this encounter going beyond it. "We can't! The Tower!" She kept thinking, all the way 'til one final yell!

When the female climaxed, Krypto jumped over her, stifling her scream with his mouth, them both sliding down the back wall against which she'd leaned, rolling over a pile of rags. Out of sheer instinct, she went for his groin, embracing him with an arm and a leg.

Diana inhaled heavily, catching her breath just as the Super-dog had pulled back; when she finally stopped screaming. Moments later, she faced him, exchanging glances and hot gasps. She could taste him still; that lingering flavor of his tongue, mixed with her own sexual fluids. Their combined spit ran down her chin, and as she felt the drops descend, much as she also sensed a growing dread, in the knowledge she lacked the will to stop this tryst of taking its next, logical step. "We can't..." She mumbled. The tiny room seemed to spin, oppressive, suffocating! Much to her surprise, however, Krypto pulled back, and a wave of relief washed over her. "N..." She almost said it, when he left her grasp.

Taking on a playful demeanor, Krypto spun about, retrieving the piece of clothing he'd torn away from the Amazon, he handed it back to her.

Diana caught the ruined panties, scowling at first, then breaking into a smile. She slid a finger inside Krypto's collar and pulled him to her. "You are just too much, you know that?" She kissed him before standing up. "What am I supposed to do with this now? Am I to go through the day bottomless under these straps of leather?"

Krypto wagged his tail, looking up at the female.

"You rascal! This was quite the rush, but we can't… Well, it's a good thing you knew when to stop. You know how it gets when we go all the way. Even if we didn't break the building, things were bound to get loud and messy." she shook her head, running fingers through her hair. "And now I'll be thinking about it all day. I imagine that was the plan, wasn't it?"

Krypto barked.

"As if I wouldn't be already." Wonder Woman knelt, one hand going for his cock, which by then was half unsheathed. "When we get home… Gods, I better stop before my better judgment falters again and we really do end up doing something right here."

With a little victory lap, Krypto growled.

"I know. I wish we could as well. Would be fun, wouldn't it? To be able to sneak around and, well, fool around." Diana bit her lip, grinning. "But you know how it is. How we get when we're together. Best not risk it. And now, I better rush. Thanks to you I have to replace my underwear before work. Although..." She kissed him again. "Although I did appreciate the frolicking."

…

WONDER WOMAN - “THE LAP OF THE GODS”

END OF PART 2.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3.


End file.
